Indiana University Athletics
IU Ready To Compete At Illini Spring Invitational
4/11/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
April 11, 2006
Illini Spring Invitational 4/13/06
Download Free Acrobat Reader
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana women's golf team will travel to Champaign, Ill., where it will compete at the 36-hole Illini Spring Invitational on April 14-15. This marks the first-ever time the Hoosiers will compete at the event. The tournament will be played on the par-72, 5,864-yard Stone Creek Golf Course, with the format consisting of 18 holes played on each day.
The Field
Joining the Hoosiers at the Illini Spring Invitational will be three Big Ten teams in Michigan, Iowa and Illinois. Additionally, Ball State, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Eastern Illinois, Grand Valley State, Illinois Wesleyan, Indianapolis, Oregon, Southern Indiana, Truman State and Western Michigan.
Johnson Claims UNLV Spring Invitational, National Player of the Week Honors
Senior Shannon Johnson blistered the Boulder Creek Golf Course with her second round of 68 in three days, to run away with medalist honors with a school record of five-under par 211 (68-75-68) at the UNLV Spring Invitational. For her efforts, the No. 47 nationally-ranked women's golfer in the country earned Golfweek and Golfworld's National Women's Player of the Week, as well as Big Ten Women's Player of the Week accolades.
The Sioux Falls, S.D., native topped the former three-round school record of 212, set by former All-American Karen Dennison at the 2002 Shootout at the Legends. Johnson also became the first IU golfer in school lore to record two separate rounds of 68 in the same tournament. Additionally, Johnson became the second Hoosier in school history to record rounds of 69 or below twice in her career (Dennison). The victory was Johnson's second of the 2005-06 campaign. She also captured medalist honors at the Notre Dame Invitational on Sept. 11.
On A Streak
After two events played during the spring season, senior Shannon Johnson and sophomore Elaine Harris are both riding impressive streaks from the fall season of sub-80 rounds. Johnson has not had a round of 80 or higher, meaning she has recorded 23 consecutive rounds of under 80. Harris has been just as hot for the Hoosiers. After shooting above 80 through the first four rounds of the 2005 fall season, the San Francisco, Calif., native has carded a sub-80 round in 15 of her last 17 rounds. On the season, Johnson's 74.35 stroke average leads the team, while Harris' 77.78 per round is second-best.
Record Pace
Senior Shannon Johnson is looking to leave her mark on the IU record books. The Sioux Falls, S.D., native is averaging a 74.35 per 18 holes during the 2005-06 campaign. Should that pace continue, Johnson will be one of just four women's golfers in school history to average below 75.00 during a season. In addition to her record-breaking performance at the UNLV Spring Invitational, her name is also found in the school record books. Her 36-round score of 143 at the Shootout at the Legends on Oct. 10-11, 2005 was tied for the ninth-best 36-hole mark in school history. Below is a break down of the top-10 single-season averages in school history and where Johnson would rank if the trend continues:
Avg. Player Rds. Season
1. 73.92 Erika Wicoff 38 1994-95
2. 73.94 Karen Dennison 32 2002-03
3. 74.35 Shannon Johnson 17 2005-06
4. 74.73 Erin Carney 40 1997-98
5. 75.06 Danah Ford 33 2003-04
6. 75.23 Erin Carney 31 1998-99
7. 75.34 Natalie Tucker 32 2000-01
8. 75.38 Karen Dennison 34 2003-04
9. 75.63 Natalie Tucker 32 1999-00
10. 75.78 Erika Wicoff 36 1993-94
Hockensmith Makes Spring Debut
Freshman Tiffany Hockensmith will make her spring debut at the Illini Spring Invitational on April 14-15. The Bloomington, Ind., native is hoping to pick up where she left off last fall. In three tournaments, Hockensmith boasts a 78.73 per-round average, which ranks third-lowest on the squad.
Hockensmith's best performance as a Hoosier occurred at the Lady Northern Invitational on Sept. 24-25 in Bloomington. After a career-low second-round 73, Hockensmith closed the event tied for 31st overall with a 231 (81-73-77). Her 231 ranks as the fourth-lowest 54-hole total by a Hoosier this season.
Johnson Ranked Among Nation's Best
Indiana senior golfer Shannon Johnson is ranked among the nation's top 50 players according to Golfstat's latest national rankings. Johnson enters this week at No. 47 in the nation after capturing the 2006 medalist honors at the UNLV Spring Invitational on March 13-15. Additionally, the Sioux Falls, S.D., native has climbed to No. 5 among Division I golfers in the Central Region.
"This is something I have continually strived for through hard work," Johnson said. "Coach (Clint) Wallman has incorporated practicing on the golf course a lot more this semester and I think that has helped my game. I just want to keep building momentum each tournament and keep learning as much as I can to build more confidence heading into our last tournaments and the Big Ten Championships."
