Golf Digest Ranks Women's Golf Fourth

Golf Digest Ranks Women’s Golf Fourth

8/3/2006

The Vanderbilt women’s golf program is ranked fourth nationally for junior golf prospects according to a comprehensive study compiled by Golf Digest magazine. The rankings are part of Golf Digest’s second annual College Golf Guide that will appear in the publication’s September 2006 edition that hits newsstands Aug. 8.

The Commodores are the top Southeastern Conference women’s golf program listed in the “Golf First” rankings that tab Duke No. 1, followed by No. 2 UCLA, No. 3 Rollins (Division II), No. 4 Vanderbilt, No. 5 Virginia, No. 6 Stanford, No. 7 Southern California, No. 8 California, No. 9 Wake Forest and No. 10 Pepperdine.

“We’re building a successful program at Vanderbilt and for us to have earned recognition as one of the nation’s best schools validates the initial vision of where we could take this program,” head coach Martha Richards Freitag said. “I take a lot of pride in that and I want to thank (former Director of Athletics) Todd Turner and the current administration for believing in me and believing in what Vanderbilt golf could become.”

According to the magazine, the rankings graded the NCAA’s 772 men’s programs and 500 women’s programs in several categories: a program’s team and individual improvements over a four-year period; a school’s academic ranking in the 2006 U.S. News & World Report Guidebook; the area’s climate in calculating the number of playable days from Sept. 1 and May 1 over a 30-year period; a measure of the coaching experience and past performance of the program; and the quality and availability of golf courses and practice facilities.

Vanderbilt ranked in the top 10 percent of the study for coaching and facilities and top 20 percent for academics, player growth and team scoring average. In four of the five categories, Vanderbilt ranked in the 70th percentile or better, helping it reach elite status.

The Commodore women’s golf program has qualified to play in every NCAA regional since Freitag became head coach prior to the 2000 season. The two-time SEC Coach of the Year (2003 & 2004) has guided Vanderbilt to three NCAA Championship finals (2002-2004) and the 2004 SEC Championship while producing six All-America honorees and 22 SEC Academic Honor Roll selections. Three former Commodores currently play professional golf.

“It’s fantastic to see how far we’ve come in six years,” Freitag said. “All the players who have played at Vanderbilt should take great pride in seeing their college golf program earn this ranking.”

“I chose to come to Vanderbilt because it has the best coach in the nation in Coach Freitag,” rising sophomore Jacqui Concolino said. “Her personality and professionalism — the way she goes about doing things — makes her the best.”

The Connor Short Game Practice Facility opened in August 2004 at the Vanderbilt Legends Club, allowing players to practice any short-game shot they can image. The two-acre facility features five different bunkers and three greens for practicing shots of various distances and lies. The lead gift for the facility was funded by a donation from Lew Conner, a prominent Nashville attorney, in honor of Cleo and Lewis Conner Sr.

Vanderbilt University tied Notre Dame for 18th place in the 2006 U.S. News and World Report’s rankings of the top academic colleges and universities in America.

“The best thing about Vanderbilt is its balance,” rising senior Chris Brady said. “It’s well rounded with strong academic and athletics. You attend school in a bustling city and get to play golf in the rolling hills of Franklin outside of town.”

Vanderbilt returns six letterwinners from last year’s squad that ranked 14th in the nation according to Golfweek magazine. Concolino and Brady ranked among the top 30 players in the country and gained All-America status for their performance.

The 2006-07 season begins with the Mason Rudolph Championship, Sept. 15-17, at the Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin. Five of the top 10 programs listed in the Golf Digest rankings will join Vanderbilt at the tournament, including defending national champion Duke, UCLA, Virginia, Stanford and Wake Forest.