Story courtesy of Midway University Athletics
DANIELS, W. Va. - After a three-year sabbatical, the Midway women's golf team has returned to the top of the River States Conference standings.
The Eagles led wire-to-wire and closed with the best round any team shot during the three-day River States Championships, finishing with a final, 128-over par score of 972. The Eagles finished seven shots ahead of runner-up Indiana East and 13 better than third-place St. Mary of the Woods, who entered the day in second.
"Obviously it feels great," said Otis Smith after winning his sixth conference title as Midway's coach. "Getting back to the top of the mountain is a fantastic feeling.
"I'm very proud of these young ladies. It's very gratifying. The competition in the conference is getting very tough, very stiff. A lot of teams are playing good so it's really good to come out on top."
Midway previously won five-consecutive conference titles before taking second to IU East each of the previous three seasons.
Unsurprisingly, the Red Wolves, who entered the day four strokes back of the Eagles, made things interesting. Led by medalist Jalyn Bruns, IUE got as close as one stroke as the teams got deep into the back nine.
But Midway held steady the rest of the way, getting clutch birdie putts from Kasey Cameron on the 15th hole and Bree Smith on the 16th. The Eagles' final-round score of 320 (+32) was the best of the tournament, topping the 322 they shot in Sunday's opening round.
Eagle players say the strong close was partially fueled by the disappointment of Monday, where a once double-digit stroke lead dwindled to two by day's end.
"I think we left the golf course pretty upset yesterday because we all knew we had some work to do," Cameron said. We just weren't as confident as we (needed to be)."
Cameron had every reason to feel confident after Tuesday, as she tied for the top score of the third round with a plus-five, 77.
That moved her into a tie for second for the tournament. Her three-day score of 239 (+23) was topped only by Bruns, who shot a 236.
This performance, coupled with her medalist showing at the RSC Fall Preview in September, solidified the freshman as the River States Golfer of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.
She had plenty of company on the all-conference team. Maryssa Phillips made First Team for the second year in a row with a fifth-place, 242-stroke (+26) final score.
One spot and one stroke behind Phillips was Bree Smith, who made the Second Team alongside 10th-place finisher Savannah Salchli.
After shooting an 85 (+13) on each of the first two days, Salchli played a critical role in the Eagles closing things out Tuesday, improving by seven strokes. Her 77 tied for the second-best score of the round.
Kelsay Collins rounded out the scoring with an 86 on Tuesday. After being subbed in during Monday's second round, Collins finished with a two-day score of 171 (+27).
Unsurprisingly, the win earned Smith River States Coach of the Year, an honor he shared with assistant Sydnee Beard, stating "she had just as much to do with the win as I did."
The win will send the Eagles back to the NAIA National Championship for the first time since 2021 and has their coach hoping a new streak will begin.
"Hopefully we'll start another run this year of winning quite a few (conference championships) in a row," Smith said.
This year's national tournament will be played at the Eagle Crest Golf Club in Ypsilanti, Mich. on May 13-16.