Women's Golfers Enjoying Success On Summer Circuit
Carter Crowther leads way with victory in Virginia state amateur.
Carter Crowther won the Virginia state amateur going away, besting the field by seven shots.

Carter Crowther won the Virginia state amateur going away, besting the field by seven shots.

July 17, 2001

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - As the University of Maryland women's golf team looks ahead to its third year as an intercollegiate sport this fall, head coach Jason Rodenhaver is hopeful his young and talented squad can maintain the momentum it appears to have gained on the 2001 summer circuit.

Already, a number of returning Terps have made their marks in tournaments around the country. In mid-June, junior Carter Crowther shot a two-over total of 218 to win the Virginia State Golf Association women's amateur stroke play title by seven shots at Cedar Point in Suffolk. Two other juniors, Erin Clasper and Jennifer Gibson, finished two-three at the Collegiate Players Tournament outside of Atlanta and qualified for the CPT national championships, which are scheduled for Aug. 13-15 at Woodbridge Golf Club in Dallas. Sophomore Katie Redeker won the third flight of the Western Women's Golf Association amateur championship in Highland Park, Ill.

On Monday of this week, sophomores Kara Gropler and Marie Harper just missed qualifying for the U.S. Women's Amateur. Gropler missed by one shot at a qualifying event in New Jersey, Harper missed by three shots at the sectional event at Baltimore Country Club's East Course. Clasper and senior Brooke Bendler also fell shy of qualifying at the Baltimore sectional event.

"I'm excited about the individual performances this summer," said Rodenhaver, who has guided the Terps' program since it debuted in the fall of 1999 as the university's 25th varsity sport. "The players all seem to be playing well. They obviously are staying active with their games and working hard. I'm looking forward to them carrying the momentum they have created into the fall season."

The Terps, who posted top 10 team finishes in four of five spring 2001 events, return all but one player from last year's roster. Maryland is slated to open up its 2001 fall campaign Sept. 7-9 at the Unlimited Potential/Bay Tree Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The Terps are also scheduled to play in three other tournaments during the fall.