HASTINGS, Minn.- The University of Northwestern Women's Golf team competed in the NCCAA North Central Regional on Monday and Tuesday. This was an important meet for all parties involved as the team that finished as the overall champion would earn a bid to the NCCAA National Championships Meet in October down in Florida. The Eagles finished in second place out of the five North Central Region teams competing, ending with a two day score of 698 (+122).

There was one other ticket to the National Championship Meet in Florida available to be punched this week. The highest scoring individual (who was not a member of the team that won the overall championship) would also earn a trip to the Sunshine State in late October. Freshman Morgan Eckman (Jordan, Minn./Jordan) represented the Eagles by shooting the lowest score of the qualified players, punching her ticket to Florida and her first ever National Championship Meet appearance.

The freshman finished in fourth place overall only coming in behind players from Bethel (IN) who ended up finishing as the overall champions. Eckman was very consistent, shooting an 83 (+11) on day one and an 82 (+10) on day two. The reigning UMAC Player of the Week will be the second consecutive Eagle to qualify for the NCCAA National Championships as an individual. Her teammate, senior Kirsten Darling (Coon Rapids, Minn./Legacy Christian Academy), qualified for the National Championships as an individual last season.

Paige Johnson (Zimmerman, Minn./Homeschool) finished in a tie for sixth place overall after finishing with a two day total of 171 (+27). The freshman shot an 85 (+13) on day one and an 86 (+14) on day two. Mattie Krause (Clear Lake, Iowa/Clear Lake) had a really strong first day, shooting an 87 (+15), propelling her to a ninth place finish with a 177 (+33) total on the week.

Kelly Van Den Bussche (Princeton, Ill./Princeton) finished in 13^th place overall shooting a 188 (+44) over the two days and Kirsten Darling (Coon Rapids, Minn./Legacy Christian Academy) rounded things out for the Eagles with a two day total of 193 (+49).

The next time the UNW Women's Golf team will be in action will be this weekend at the Midwest Region Fall Classic hosted by Benedictine University. Play starts on Friday, September 22^nd and concludes on Saturday, September 23^rd in Kansasville, Wisconsin.