HANCEVILLE, Ala. — Wallace State Community College’s women’s golf team won the National Junior College Athletic Association District title on Tuesday, with Aidan Haithcock topping the leaderboard.
Haithcock, a freshman from Homewood, shot 7 over par for the tournament, with scores of 75 and 76 over two days at the 72-par Cross Creek Golf Course, the home greens for WSCC. Sophomore Hope Harrell of Guntersville tied third at 13 over par, shooting 84 on the first four and winning the day at 1 over par for 71 in round two. Sydney Epes, a freshman from Water Valley, Miss., shot 81 both days and finished in sixth place. Completing the WSCC team, Abbey Gattis finished 17th.
Haithcock earned low medalist honor for the title and she, Harrell and Epes were all named to the All-Tournament team. Coach J.J. Adams earned South District Coach of the Year in Women’s Golf District I.
Rounding out the top five players for the tournament were Southern Union’s Sydney Omsby in second place, Natalie Peebles of Blinn College tied at third and Azul Amezcua of Tyler Junior College inf fifth place.
“We struggled a little yesterday, but came out today and played really good golf,” said Adams. “Hope and Aidan both played great rounds, followed up by Sydney, and Abbey and Rileigh. We came out when the pressure was on and got the job done.”
Despite topping the leaderboard, Haithcock was circumspect about her play in the tournament.
“I didn’t really play that well today or yesterday,” she said. “I’m not sure how I shot two low scores like that. I just kind of ground it out and fought my way through.”
In the team results, Wallace State women bested Shelton State by 8 strokes, with Tyler Junior College coming in third, Blinn College in fourth, Calhoun Community College in fifth place and Northeast Alabama Community College in sixth place.
Ranked 12th nationally, the win punches the team’s ticket to the 2023 NJCAA Division 1 Women’s Golf Championship May 9-12 in Garden City, Kansas.
“We played great in the fall,” Adams said. “This spring we kind of struggled coming back out of the winter and then the last two or three tournaments we started playing like us again. It’s been great to see the girls fight through. Aidan has won five tournaments, as a freshman that’s incredible.”
Men’s Golf finish second in Region 22 Championship, headed to district and national tournaments
The Wallace State men’s golf team finished second in the NJCAA Region 22 Championship on Tuesday at Twin Bridges Golf Club in Gadsden, finishing just four strokes behind Southern Union Community College. Calhoun Community College finished in third place, with Central Alabama Community College in fourth. Snead State, Coast Alabama and Jefferson State tied for fifth.
Individually, Wallace State sophomore Davis Aaron of Tuscaloosa tied for fifth on the leaderboard, finishing at 3 over par over three rounds of play. Sophomore Zachery Coker of Gulf Shores and freshman Keith Hunter of Ontario, Canada, tied at 13.
Ranked 10th nationally, the men’s team advances to the NJCAA Southern District tournament April 24-25 at Limestone Springs Country Club and are guaranteed a spot at the NJCAA National Tournament May 16-19 at Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kansas.
Registration for summer and fall semesters is underway at Wallace State, with registration for all students on April 6. Summer 2023 classes begin May 24. Fall 2023 classes begin Aug. 18. For more information, visit www.wallacestate.edu, call 256.352.8000 or come by Lion Central in the lobby of the James C. Bailey Center Monday-Wednesday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or Friday 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
