Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) women’s golf team begins its first spring under head coach Jessica Cathey at the Kiawah Island Classic, which kicks off Sunday and is scheduled to be spread out over three courses.
Tabbed as the largest collegiate golf tournament in the country, the 2020 edition of the Kiawah Island Spring Classic has expanded from 48 teams to 53 in this year’s field and will be played for the sixth time in its history at Osprey Point at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort on Kiawah Island, SC.
Two courses are used for the three-day, 54-hole tournament including Oak Point. After 36 holes of play, the Top 26 teams will play for the championship at Osprey Point during the final round, while teams 27-53 will play for a flight championship at Oak Point. Sixteen individuals will compete in a separate individual tournament at Cougar Point.
This massive field includes not only host College of Charleston and the Governors, but three more Ohio Valley Conference schools (Jacksonville State, Murray State and Tennessee Tech) and two top-100 programs in College of Charleston and Stetson, via the latest Golfstat.com rankings.
The Govs will send out a lineup with junior Riley Cooper at the helm on Sunday. Cooper had an electric fall, closing out strong with back-to-back top-20 finishes at the Lady Red Wolf Classic and Town & Country Invitational and earning her first career top-10 at the annual home event.
Sophomore Taylor Dedmen and senior Meghann Stamps will be on hand to help the APSU Govs in the event. Dedmen finished the fall as Austin Peay State University’s leader in rounds below (three) and stroke average (75.24), while Stamps battled injury during the fall but closed out strong at the Town & Country Invitational by equaling Dedmen’s sixth-place finish in Nashville.
Sophomore Shelby Darnell and freshman Payton Elkins will round out the lineup in APSU’s first spring appearance. Elkins carved her niche as Stamps’ injury replacement, particularly with her final-round 75 at Arkansas State’s event. Darnell might have been the most consistent Gov during fall play, with all 17 rounds counting toward Austin Peay State University’s team score; she also is the Gov most likely to get out to a hot start, as evidenced by her team-best 74.5 opening-round stroke average.
With impending frost in the forecast, the Govs are teeing off in foursomes off Hole Nos. 6-8 at Oak Point. Austin Peay State University is scheduled to be paired with Youngstown State, Samford and Wofford. First tee is set for an 11:00am shotgun start.
