For the first time in her career, freshman Hilary Anderson has claimed the Missouri Valley Conference Womens Golfer of the Week award for her performance at the Saluki Invitational this past weekend at Hickory Ridge Golf Course in Carbondale, Ill.
Anderson finished with a 36-hole hole total of 152 (72,80) on the par 72, 5,999-yard course, to finish in third place, just four strokes behind the leader. Her scores helped lead the Redbirds to a third place team finish.
All eight Valley teams participated in the event, along with Michigan, Murray State, Eastern Illinois, and Western Illinois among others.
Head coach
Ray Kralis knew he could expect performances like this from her.
When I recruited her, I knew she was capable of this, Kralis said. She has won on every level, against great competition, by putting up low scores like she did.
This is Andersons first top-five individual finish of her young career. On the season, she has played in 17 of the 21 team rounds with a stroke average of 79.2. Her 72 in round one of the Saluki Invitational was her single round best and she has nine rounds in the 70s.
Kralis feels that Anderson can become a consistent contender.
This finish reinforces her belief in herself and her confidence level goes up, Kralis said. It proves to her that she can compete at this level. She will build on this and be more comfortable when she finds herself in that spot. This is the output I look for from her on a consistent basis.
Anderson and the Birds will return to action April 3-4, when they travel to Bloomington, Ind., to participate in the Indiana University Womens Invitational at the Indiana University Golf Course.
