Women’s Golf: UVA set to open play at NCAA Ann Arbor Regional on Monday

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

The No. 8 Virginia women’s golf team competes at the NCAA Regional site at the University of Michigan Golf Course in Ann Arbor, Mich., starting Monday. The Cavaliers are the No. 2 seed in the 12-team regional that runs through Wednesday.

UVA will be paired with San Jose State and Michigan during the first round. Those teams will tee off starting at 8 a.m. from the first tee.

Format

Each regional site is a 54-hole event with a single-round scheduled for Monday through Wednesday. The top four schools (24 total) from each of six regional sites will advance to the NCAA Championships along with the top two individuals (12 total) not advancing from a team from each site. The NCAA Championships are set for May 20-25 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Regional History

This year’s regional marks the 16th time Virginia has received a bid to the NCAA Championships. Virginia will be looking to advance to the NCAA Championships for the 12th time in the program’s 19-year history. Last season UVA did not advance out of the Columbus (Ohio) Regional as a team, placing ninth. Senior Beth Lillie, who was fifth at the regional, went on to the NCAA Championships where she placed ninth in stroke play.

The Cavaliers’ top regional finish was its second-place performance in 2018 at the Madison, Wisc., site. Beth Lillie and Morgan Gonzales led Virginia by tying for seventh place at 3-under 213. UVA was third in 2011, fourth in 2019 and 2009 and has been fifth five times (2015, 2012, 2010, 2008, 2005). UVA has had two first-place individual finishers at NCAA Regionals. Calle Nielson was the first to accomplish the feat, placing first in 2010 at the West Regional at Stanford. In 2016, Elizabeth Szokol shared first-place honors, also at the Stanford Golf Course.

The Field

The field at the Ann Arbor Regional site includes (in seed order) 1. San Jose State, 2. Virginia, 3. Michigan, 4. Arkansas, 5. UCF, 6. Virginia Tech, 7. North Carolina, 8. Washington, 9. Ohio State, 10. Pepperdine, 11. Xavier, 12. Oakland.

At Michigan

This will be the second time this season the Cavaliers have competed at the Michigan Golf Course. UVA opened its season by placing second at the Wolverine Invitational. The Cavaliers shot 11-over 863 and were led by Jennifer Cleary (4th, -2/214) and Amanda Sambach (6th, -1/215). All six Cavaliers heading to the NCAA Regional were in UVA’s lineup for the Wolverine Invitational.

All-ACC

Virginia sophomore Jennifer Cleary and freshman Amanda Sambach were named to the 15-member 2022 All-Atlantic Coast Conference team. It is the first time both players have received the honor. Sambach is the first Cavalier freshman to be named All-ACC since Beth Lillie in 2018.

The ACC

Virginia is one of 10 ACC teams to receive an invitation to this year’s national championship. Also qualifying were Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Louisville, Miami, NC State, North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.

UVA Lineup

Golfer                Events Rds.    Avg.   Rd.   Tourney

Jennifer Cleary (So.)   8    24    72.75    68     208

Amanda Sambach (Fr.)    9    27    72.82    69     211

Beth Lillie (Gr.)       9    27    73.59    66     208

Celeste Valinho (Jr.)   8    24    73.92    67     209

Rebecca Skoler (So.)    4    12    74.50    69     209

Riley Smyth (Sr.)*      8    24    74.42    67     213

* Alternate

The Rankings

Golfstat     Golfweek

(5/8)       (4/27)

Virginia               8           10

Amanda Sambach        45           49

Jennifer Cleary       53           60

Beth Lillie          112          107

Celeste Valinho      127          136

Riley Smyth          176          171

Rebecca Skoler         *            *

*Has not participated in enough rounds to be ranked.

Follow

Live scoring for NCAA Regional will be available online at Golfstat.com. Follow the Cavaliers on social media at Twitter: @UVAWomensGolf & @CoachRiaScott and Instagram: UVAWomensGolf.