Yarbrough launches Rams into NCAAs with NWGC title

REXFORD, NY – Suffolk's Elle Yarbrough fired an eight-over-par 152 to capture the 2024 Northeast Women's Golf Conference Individual Tournament Championship, leading her Rams to the NWGC crown and a berth in the NCAA Division III National Championship.

Suffolk will travel to the Keene Trace Golf Club in Nicholasville, KY, May 21-24, to compete in the NCAA's after claiming the NWGC's automatic qualifier for winning the conference title. The Rams (648) finished 10 strokes ahead of runner-up Cortland (648), the two-time defending NWGC Champion since the conference was awarded its automatic bid in 2022.

Yarbrough reeled off a six-over-par 78 on Day 1 of the competition that was held at the Edison Club in Rexford, NY, April 27-28, on its Par 72, 5688-yard course. On Day 2 she produced the best single round of the tournament – a two-over-par 74 that outdistanced the rest of the 54-player field by three strokes for any individual 18 holes.

For winning the conference title, Yarbrough was named the NWGC Player of the Year and to the All-NWGC First Team. First Team All-Conference selections are doled out to the players who finish 1-5 at the conference tournament, while players finishing 6-10 are named to the Second Team.

Yarbrough had plenty of help over the weekend as the Rams placed three players in the Top 5 to claim a trio of First Team honors. Ella Torsleff posted an 82-81-163 over the 36-hole event to capture fourth place, while Isabel Smith shaved eight strokes off of her Day 1 round to grab fifth with a 164 (86-78).

First-year player Brooke Bugajewski had a major impact on the Rams in her inaugural season by finishing eighth overall with an 87-82-169. She was named the 2024 NWGC Rookie of the Year for having the lowest championship score among first-year players, and she earned Second Team accolades for her performance.

Cortland, meanwhile, landed five players in the Top 10, including Claudia Winterberg who placed third with a 158 (81-77). She was named All-Conference First Team.

Four Red Dragons were named to the Second Team as Sophia Oristian (Cortland 87-80-167) and Kristina Visniesky (87-80-167) recorded identical rounds on each day, while Mimi Rienzo (83-87-170) and Sarah Wiggins (86-84-170) tied for ninth. Rienzo was one stroke behind Bugajewski in a battle for Rookie of the Year honors and finished second among all first-year players at the championship.

The lone Top 10 finisher not from Suffolk nor Cortland was St. John Fisher's Alex Tomasso who was the conference runner-up after registering a 155 (78-77). She was just one of two players to shoot in the 70s each day, and she tied for the second-lowest single round with a 77.

St. John Fisher placed third with a 756, while Husson was fourth at 783 and Geneseo a close fifth at 788. Cobleskill eked by Keene State 812-815 for sixth place, leaving Keene seventh, Keuka eighth and Westfield State ninth. Canton, Manhattanville, Mt. St. Mary, Nazareth and Utica did not produce team scores.

The Elite Academic Award was presented to Katie Egan of Westfield State and Gwen Glennon of Canton after each player produced perfect 4.00 grade point averages. Egan is being considered for a valedictorian position during graduation, while Glennon is a sophomore who is majoring in Homeland Security.