NINETY-SIX, S.C. – High Point’s Ann Marie Dalton won a five-hole sudden death playoff over Charleston Southern’s Olivia Jordan-Higgins, and third-seeded Charleston Southern withstood a rally from No. 1 seed Coastal Carolina, to win the individual medalist and team championship, respectively, of the 2008 Big South Women’s Golf Championship Wednesday afternoon at The Patriot Golf Club in Ninety-Six, S.C.  Charleston Southern, which captured its first Big South women’s golf title since 2001, receives the Conference’s automatic berth in the NCAA Regionals.

Dalton fired a 1-over 73 in the final round to finish with a 229, while Jordan-Higgins -- who was the two-day leader entering Wednesday, posted an 80 to finish at 229 as well.  The sudden death playoff began on the first hole and each player matched the other’s strokes through the first four playoff holes with a score of 2-over par.  Dalton the pared the par 5, 481-yard No. 5 hole, while Higgins fell short with a double bogey.  It was the third sudden death individual playoff in Championship history and first since 1994.  Dalton becomes High Point’s first-ever Big South women’s golf champion.

Wednesday’s final round was delayed 50 minutes in the beginning due to fog, but once cleared the participants enjoyed ideal conditions the rest of the day.  Coastal Carolina finished with a tournament-low 308 aggregate score on Wednesday but could not overtake the Lady Buccaneers, as Charleston Southern finished with a 310 in the final round to win by four strokes, 931 to 935.  Winthrop was third with a 944, followed by Bucknell (973), Radford (983), High Point (660) and Holy Cross (1,061).  Future Big South member Presbyterian College had a 54-hole total of 1,102, but PC does not officially count in the team and individual standings as part of its transition to Division I.

Dalton, Winthrop’s Sara Hester, Charleston Southern’s Madison Jeter and Rhiannon Loebs and Coastal Carolina’s Rachel Graves each earned a spot on the Big South All-Conference team with their Championship finish, joining Jordan-Higgins, Jutta Degerman, Aruka Felgueroso, Ann Maness and Katrin Rumpf, who were voted to the team based on regular-season play.  Below are the final team scores and top 10 individual results.  Complete results appear in .pdf format below.

Team Results
1. Charleston Southern 305-316-310 = 931
2. Coastal Carolina 313-314-308 = 935
3. Winthrop 317-311-316 = 944
4. Bucknell 330-328-315 = 973
5. Radford 326-332-325 = 983
6. High Point 335-331-324 = 990
7. Holy Cross 358-355-348 = 1061
8. Presbyterian 366-372-364 = 1102

Top 10 Individual Results
1. Ann Marie Dalton, HPU ^ 80-76-73 = 229 +13
2. Olivia Jordan-Higgins, CSU 73-76-80 = 229 +13
3. Sara Hester, WU 76-76-78 = 230 +14
4. Madison Jeter, CSU 80-76-77 = 233 +17
    Rhiannon Loebs, CSU 77-82-74 = 233 +17
    Aruka Felgueroso, CCU 76-79-78 = 233 +17
7. Rachel Graves, CCU 82-76-76 = 234 +18
8. Katie Jurenovich, BU 78-80-77 = 235 +19
    Alicia Grier, CCU 79-80-76 = 235 +19
10. Jutta Degerman, WU 78-81-77 = 236 +20
     Ann Maness, CCU 79-79-78 = 236 +20
     Katrin Rumpf, CSU 75-82-79 = 236 +20