The Coastal Carolina University women’s golf squad will make its second-ever NCAA Regional appearance, playing in the NCAA East Regional at the University of Florida Golf Club in Gainesville, Fla., May 7-9.  The Chanticleers already competed earlier this spring at the East Regional site at the University of Florida Golf Club, where they finished a solid eighth at the SunTrust Lady Gator Invitational, including the third-lowest score in the final round.

Coastal Carolina earned their way into the postseason by capturing the 2009 Big South Conference Championship and the League's automatic bid on the strength of four All-Big South players (medalist Aruka Felgueroso, Ann Maness, Jessica Vincent and Alicia Grier).  The Chants only other appearance in the NCAA Regionals occurred in 2005, when the squad finished 19th at the NCAA East Regional on this same University of Florida course.  While this will be the players’ first-ever time in the regional, the coaching staff has experience at the next level.  Head Coach Katie Quinney led Florida State to three consecutive appearances (2002, 2003 and 2004) as a player while helping the Seminoles to a pair of appearances as an assistant coach in 2007 and 2008.  In addition, Graduate Assistant Katy Heher played in that Regional as part of the 2005 Coastal Carolina squad.

“We’re thrilled to be competing in the Regionals,” Quinney commented.  “We feel fortunate to be selected to the one site that we have played previously this season, which will hopefully help the team relax a little and play better, as each are seeing their first Regionals action.  Ranking-wise, the East is the strongest and deepest Regional, and we will have to be on top of our games to have a chance at one of the eight advancing slots.”

The NCAA Championship will be played May 19-22 at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Md., with the top eight teams and two individuals from non-advancing teams from each regional moving on to the Championship.  Coastal Carolina is looking to become the first Big South women's golf program to advance to nationals.

NCAA East Regional Teams (automatic qualifiers in parantheses):
1.      Virginia
2.      Auburn (Southeastern Conference)
3.      Alabama
4.      North Carolina
5.      Duke
6.      Denver (Sun Belt Conference)
7.      Tennessee
8.      Vanderbilt
9.      Georgia
10.    Tulane (Conference USA)
11.    Florida
12.    East Carolina
13.    Mississippi
14.    South Carolina
15.    Furman (Southern Conference)
16.    College of Charleston
17.    Florida State
18.    Central Florida
19.    Coastal Carolina (Big South Conference)
20.    Stetson (Atlantic Sun Conference)
21.    Jackson State (Southwestern Athletic Conference)