May 13, 1999

NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN'S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS
The No. 5-ranked USC women's golf team, fresh off a first-place finish at the NCAA West Regional (at the Pine Forest Country Club in Houston, Texas), will join the rest of the nation's finest teams at the 1999 NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championships, which will be held May 19-22 (Wednesday-Saturday) at the Tulsa Country Club in Tulsa, Okla. The NCAA Championships, which are being hosted by the University of Tulsa, consist of both team and individual competition. All participants will compete throughout the entire 72 holes of competition. In the team competition, the low four scores for each team will count in each day's total score. The championships consist of 99 competitors (19 teams and four individuals), who qualified by competing in a 54-hole regional competition.

Last year, Arizona State captured the team title for the second straight year and the sixth time in the 1990s. USC's Jennifer Rosales won last year's individual title. Although just a freshman, Rosales shot a 9-under-par total of 279 at the University Ridge Golf Course in Madison, Wis., smashing the NCAA Championship four-round record, which had stood for 15 years.

USC AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Although USC has won an impressive 15 national championships in women's sports, the Women of Troy have yet to win an NCAA team title in women's golf. USC's highest finish was a second-place showing in 1994, which is one of six Top 10 finishes by the Women of Troy since 1982. On the individual side, Jennifer Rosales' 1998 NCAA victory was the first in school history. At this year's tournament, Rosales will attempt to become the first woman to ever win back-to-back NCAA individual championships.

NCAA WEST REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
On May 8, defending NCAA champion Jennifer Rosales shot a final round 3-under-par 69 to lead the USC women's golf team to a first-place finish at the NCAA West Regional in Houston, Texas. After scorching the Pine Forest Country Club course with a final round 286 (the second-best team total in USC women's golf history), the No. 5-ranked Women of Troy beat second-place Arizona by 11 strokes. Among the individuals, Rosales' three-round total of 217 was good enough for fourth place, while teammates Leila Chartrand and Nicole Dalkas (who was participating in her first spring tournament after rehabilitating from a herniated disk in her back) tied for fifth place at 219. Arizona's Jenna Daniels finished first with a total of 211, while ASU's Grace Park and Nevada's Angie Yoon each shot 215 to finish tied for second. USC led the field with 38 birdies while shooting 11-under on the par fives, including an eagle by Rosales on No. 14 in round two. Nicole getting back in the lineup was a big boost for everybody, USC coach Andrea Gaston said. She was a great inspiration for us. And Jennifer finally got untracked the last two days and that was big. I'm really proud of the whole team, they were the ones who made the shots out there. Our first priority coming in was to get to the nationals. Then to come out and play as well as we did and win (regionals), that's an added bonus. Hopefully, we are peaking at the right time.

JENNIFER ROSALES
So far this season, Jennifer Rosales has led USC in each outing and owns the No. 1 ranking in the MasterCard Collegiate Golf Rankings. She won the individual crown at the Golf World Invitational (Nov. 6-8) and the TRW Regional Challenge (Feb. 8-10). She also was outstanding at the Rolex Match Play Championships, winning each of her matches (including a showdown with Duke's Jenny Chuasiriporn). Jennifer also has had three runner-up finishes this season (Dick McGuire Invitational, Pioneer Electronic Bruin Classic and the Peg Barnard California Collegiate). Outside of one tournament (Ping ASU Invitational), she has finished within the top eight in each collegiate competition and has not taken more than 76 strokes in a single round.

1998 NCAA CHAMPION
Jennifer Rosales, who enrolled at USC prior to the 1998 spring semester, went on to make Women of Troy history in only her sixth collegiate event, winning the individual crown at the 1998 NCAA Division I Women's Golf >Championships. Jennifer shot rounds of 68, 66, 73 and 72 on her way to a 9-under-par total of 279 at the University Ridge Golf Course in Madison, Wis., smashing the NCAA Championship four-round record of 284 set by Penny Hammel of Miami in 1983. Jennifer's 6-under-par 66 in the second round set a new all-time Women of Troy record. After three rounds, she shared the lead with Grace Park of Arizona State at 207 (another USC record after 54 holes of play). Jennifer then fought off the challenge from a field of collegiate superstars in the final round with an even-par 72, despite bogeys on the first three holes and an hour-long rain delay, becoming only the fourth freshman in NCAA history to win the individual championship.

USC SO FAR THIS SEASON
The USC women's golf team has participated in 10 tournaments this season as well as the Rolex Match Play and did well in each, powering the Women of Troy to an impressive No. 5 national ranking. USC opened the campaign by winning the team title at the Dick McGuire Invitational and proceeded to finish third at the Bama Fall Preview, seventh at the Stanford Women's Intercollegiate and second at both the Rolex Match Play Championships and Golf World Invitational. USC opened the 1999 spring season with a third-place showing at the TRW Regional Challenge and then finished eighth at both the Pioneer Electronic Bruin Classic and the Ping/ASU Invitational. Last month, the Women of Troy won the Peg Barnard California Collegiate before finishing sixth at the Pac-10 Championships. In its most recent outing, USC won the NCAA West Regional, running past the field with a final-round total of 286. In addition to Jennifer Rosales' outstanding performances, fellow sophomore Nicole Dalkas also had an impressive fall season, recording two Top 10 finishes on her way to earning a No. 17 national ranking. Then, Dalkas did not played in any spring tournaments for the Women of Troy while rehabilitating a back injury (herniated disk). She returned to action at the NCAA West Regionals and made a big splash, finishing in a fifth-place tie (with teammate Leila Chartrand).

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS
NCAA Division I women's golf information can be obtained via the NCAA fax-on-demand system. Dial (770) 563-1133 from the handset of a fax machine, enter passcode 1915 and for results request: 5104 first-round team and individual, 5105 second-round team and individual, 5106 third-round team and individual, and 5107 final round team and individual. Championships information can also be found at www.ncaachampionships.com.