Top-Ranked Duke Women?s Golf Receives Central Region Bid

DURHAM, N.C.-- The top-ranked Duke women's golf team received its 14th consecutive bid to participate in NCAA Regional action on Monday as the Blue Devils were seeded No. 1 in the Central Region and will next travel to College Station, Texas from May 11-13 to play for a bid to the NCAA Championship. With Duke being shipped out to the Central Region, it marks the first time in its 14-year NCAA history that the Blue Devils have been sent away from the East Regional.

Other teams competing in the Central Region are Southern California, Pepperdine, Texas A&M, Florida, Oklahoma State, Kent State, Ohio State, Michigan State, SMU, TCU, Missouri, Baylor, Tulsa, Nebraska, Northwestern, Texas, Birmingham Southern, Jacksonville State, Jackson State, St. Francis (Pa.).

The regional will be a three-day, 54-hole tournament with 18 holes played each day at the Traditions Club. The top eight teams and top two individuals (not on one of those eight teams) advance on to the NCAA Championships to be played May 23-26 at the Scarlett Course at Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio.

Duke is coming off winning its 11th consecutive ACC Championship in Pinehurst, N.C., and have won five of its nine tournaments this season. Duke is led by four golfers ranked in the top 34 of the Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index, including the nations top-ranked golfer, Amanda Blumenherst. Other Blue Devils ranked include senior Liz Janangelo (10), junior Anna Grzebien (11) and freshman Jennie Lee (34).

Earlier on Monday, Blumenherst was tabbed ACC Player and Freshman of the Year, while Head Coach Dan Brooks earned his 10th ACC Coach of the Year honor. All five of Duke's golfers were awarded All-ACC accolades.

The Blue Devils have won the East Regional in five out of the last six years. Last year, Duke had three golfers finish in the top-10 of the individual rankings as Grzebien picked up individual medalist honors, while Brittany Lang was tied for fifth and Janangelo was tied for 10th. As a team, the Blue Devils broke a five-win streak in East Regional play as Duke finished second out of 21 teams.

East Regional
The East regional will be played May 11-13 at the Bryan Park Golf Course, Bryan Park, North Carolina, hosted by Wake Forest University. Conference automatic qualifiers are indicated in parenthesis next to the institution.

Teams:
1. Arizona State
2. Auburn (Southeastern Conference)
3. Tennessee
4. Wake Forest
5. California
6. Vanderbilt
7. Virginia
8. South Carolina
9. LSU
10. Florida State
11. Alabama
12. North Carolina State
13. Augusta State
14. Maryland
15. Furman
16. North Carolina
17. Mississippi State
18. Campbell (Atlantic Sun Conference)
19. College of Charleston (Southern Conference)
20. East Carolina (Conference USA)
21. Yale (Ivy Group)

Individuals:
1. Adrienne White, Louisville
2. Christina Jones, South Florida
3. Michelle Jarman, North Carolina-Wilmington
Central Regional

The Central regional will be played May 11-13 at The Traditions at Texas A&M, College Station, Texas, hosted by Texas A&M University. Conference automatic qualifiers are indicated in parenthesis next to the institution.

Teams:
1. Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference)
2. Southern California
3. Pepperdine
4. Texas A&M (Big 12 Conference)
5. Florida
6. Oklahoma State
7. Kent State (Mid-American Conference)
8. Ohio State
9. Michigan State
10. SMU
11. TCU
12. Missouri
13. Baylor
14. Tulsa
15. Nebraska
16. Northwestern
17. Texas
18. Birmingham-Southern (Big South Conference)
19. Jacksonville State (Ohio Valley Conference)
20. Jackson State (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
21. St. Francis (Pennsylvania) (Northeast Conference)

Individuals:
1. Samantha Richdale, Illinois State
2. Amy Schmucker, Michigan
3. Amanda Costner, Kansas

West Regional
The West regional will be played May 11-13 at the Washington National Golf Club, Las Auburn, Washington, hosted by the University of Washington. Conference automatic qualifiers are indicated in parenthesis next to the institution.

Teams:
1. UCLA (Pacific-10 Conference)
2. Georgia
3. Purdue (Big Ten Conference)
4. Arkansas
5. UNLV (Mountain West Conference)
6. Arizona
7. Stanford
8. New Mexico
9. Washington
10. Long Beach State
11. Brigham Young
12. UC Irvine (Big West Conference)
13. San Jose State (Western Athletic Conference)
14. Denver (Sun Belt Conference)
15. Oregon State
16. Washington State
17. New Mexico State
18. Georgia State (Colonial Athletic Association)
19. Oral Roberts (Mid-Continent Conference)
20. Bradley (Missouri Valley Conference)
21. Montana (Big Sky Conference)