Dalton State finished with a No. 6 ranking in the postseason edition of the 2016 NAIA Women’s Golf Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, announced by the national office.
The Roadrunners had finished 10th in the rain-shortened NAIA National Championship at Savannah Quarters Golf and Country Club in Pooler. It was the first time in the 22-year history of the championship that it was finished in just 36 holes. Dalton State had entered the championship with the No. 3 ranking.
“Our final ranking is a testament to the great season our girls have had,” said Coach Jim McGrew. “We had six team wins and four individual wins to end the season ranked No. 5 on Golfstats and No. 6 in the NAIA poll. We had three All-Americans and four Academic Scholar All-Americans. In two years we have had a top five final ranking in each year, five All-Americans and eight academic scholars. The bar has been set high and we are excited about what the future holds.”
Keiser (Fla.) took home the red banner and ends season with the No. 1 ranking. After falling to the No. 2 position the last two polls, the Seahawks won their way to the top with 16-of-17 first place votes and 467 total points
Keiser won its second-straight national title on May 20. The Seahawks were tied going into the final day with No. 2 William Woods (Mo.) and shot the lowest round in the past five years, 293, to claim the 2016 NAIA Women’s Golf National Championship Title. The Seahawks have been ranked for an NAIA-best 87-straight polls.
William Woods took home the runner-up trophy for the second year in-a-row after shooting a two-day total of 610, only 11 shots back from Keiser who shot a 599. The Owls received the remaining first-place vote and 452 total points.
No. 3 SCAD Savannah (Ga.) (432 points), No. 4 Oklahoma City (415 points) and No. 5 Cumberlands (Ky.) (414 points) rounds out the top five. SCAD Savannah moved up four spots from No. 7 and into the top five after placing third at the national championship.
No. 9 SCAD Atlanta (Ga.) and No. 12 Indiana Tech both had the most significant jump in the poll, moving up six spots. No. 16 Coastal Georgia fell six spots from No. 10.
Fourteen of the 19 conferences/unaffiliated groups are represented in this final edition. The Southern States Athletic Conference and the Sun Conference lead all leagues with four teams represented each. There are no new teams in the Top 25 Poll.