BIG RAPIDS, MI – The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) women's golf team closed out the three-day NCAA East Super-Regional in sixth place, which concluded on Wednesday.
 
UIS tallied rounds of 316, 315 and 313 for a 54-hole team score of 944 (+80). The Prairie Stars finished one stroke out of fifth and three strokes of fourth. UIS is ranked No. 6 in the latest NCAA Division II East Regional rankings.
 
Brooke Hill and Taryn Pittman both tied for 22nd with an overall score of 233 at 17-over. Pittman carded rounds of 78, 78 and 77 on the par-72 layout at Katke Golf Course. Her round of 77 was a season best. Hill fired rounds of 79, 77 and 77. Both tournament scores of 233 is tied for third in UIS history for best 54-hole scores.
 
Maria Espinosa captured 35th (78-80-80 – 238), Ocean Pangan earned a T-40 finish (81-80-79 – 240) and Jennifer Queller secured a T-48 finish (82-81-82 – 245).
 
Top-ranked University of Indianapolis earned a share of its seventh-consecutive super-regional title and claimed its fourth-consecutive super-regional crown outright. The Greyhounds totaled a 54-hole score of 882. Second-ranked Grand Valley State University came in second with a score of 887, finishing ahead of No. 3 University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) (913), No. 4 University of Findlay (941), No. 7 Ashland University (943), No. 6 UIS (944), No. 5 Northern Michigan University (947), No. 13 Franklin Pierce University (949), No. 8 Kutztown University (959), No. 9 Tiffin University (961), No. 11 University of Southern Indiana (967) and No. 10 Wayne State University (975), which rounded out the team standings.
 
Indianapolis locked up the top two spots individually. Pilar Echevarria posted an even score to capture first (69-71-76 – 216) while Katharina Kellich placed second (75-71-74 – 220). UMSL's Emma Thorngren (74-74-73 – 221) and Grand Valley State's Katie Chipman (69-71-81 – 221) tied for third.
 
The Prairie Stars graduate Hill, Pittman, Jordan Neyens and Chelsey Witkowiak. Witkowiak put together a career average of 91.23, which ranks 13th in UIS history. Neyens compiled a career average of 90.37, which ranks 11th in school history.
 
Among UIS career leaders, Pittman ranks seventh in career average (84.16) and seventh in birdies (61). As a sophomore, the Aledo, TX native recorded a par-5 average of 5.43, which ranks 10th in school history. Pittman continued to crack the UIS single-season leaderboard during her senior year, finishing T-7 in par-4 scoring (4.54), 10th in par-3 scoring (3.40) and 12th in round average (81.08).
 
Among UIS career leaders, Hill ranks fourth in round average (82.99) and sixth in birdies (65). As a junior, Hill shot a par-5 average of 5.367, which is tied for sixth in UIS history. During her senior season, Hill carded a round of 73 during both the Dan Salisbury Memorial Collegiate and the UIS Spring Invite. Hill's tournament score of 151 in the Dan Salisbury Memoria Collegiate is also tied for sixth for best 36-hole score. The Regina, Saskatchewan native earned several rankings among UIS single-season leaders during her senior year. Hill averaged 6.92 strokes over par, which ties for second in school history, and also compiled a round average of 78.83. Among UIS single-season leaders, Hill also ranks first in par-4 scoring (4.37), fifth in par-5 scoring (5.364), T-10 in birdies (25). Hill closed out her senior season with two top-5 finishes and five top-10 finishes.
 
UIS is expected to return six players for the 2018-19 season and look to have further postseason success.