DEPAUW'S GATES; RHODES' BURCH; SOUTHWESTERN'S MARTIN HEAD SOUTHERN COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE'S 15TH ANNIVERSARY WOMEN'S GOLF TEAM

SUWANEE, Ga. - DePauw University's Sarah Gates, Rhodes College's Emily Burch and Southwestern University's Ashlee Martin head an impressive list of past standouts named to the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference's 15th Anniversary women's golf team. The three have a combined six SCAC Golfer-of-the-Year titles to their names, with each claiming back-to-back individual medalist honors.

Gates, the only active golfer on the all-anniversary team, won SCAC individual medalist honors as both a freshman (2004) and a sophomore (2005). Her winning scores of 157 (2004) and 160 (2005) are two of the top six scores posted in the history of the conference tournament. A two-time All-American, Gates has led DePauw to SCAC titles both of her seasons in Greencastle as well as back-to-back third place finishes at the NCAA Championships. She shot a 319 and finished fourth at the 2004 NCAA Women's Tournament.

Burch, a two-time All-American, led Rhodes to back-to-back SCAC titles in 2000 and 2001 and earned medalist honors both seasons. She carded a two-day total of 150 at the 2001 conference tournament at Rolling Meadows Golf Club in Gosport, Ind., which remains the all-time SCAC championships scoring record. She also owns the third-best score ever at the SCAC championships - a 155 in 2000. With Burch leading the way, the Lynx went on to post third place finishes at both the 2000 and 2001 National Championships. She posted the best-ever finish for a SCAC individual at the NCAA Tournament when she placed third in 2001.

Martin became the first SCAC women's golfer to earn back-to-back medalist honors when she led Southwestern to consecutive team titles in 1998 and 1999. Her two-day total of 162 at the 1999 SCAC Championships at The Quarry Golf Club in San Antonio, Texas shattered the old conference individual mark by 12 strokes. A three-time All-SCAC performer, Martin propelled the Pirates to a fifth-place finish at the 2000 NCAA Championships when she finished 12th among all individuals to become the school's first and only All-American.

DePauw placed four golfers on the SCAC All-Anniversary team. Joining Gates on the squad are former Tigers Lindsay Amore, Deb Garriott and Jessica Schneider. Among the four, they have 13 NCAA Division III Women's Tournament appearances.

Amore, a four-time All-SCAC honoree, finished tied for the SCAC title in 2003 at Hulman Links Golf Club in Terre Haute, Ind., but lost medalist honors on the second playoff hole. As a senior, she placed second at last year's championships at Chamberlyne Country Club in Danville, Ark. Amore is the only member of the all-anniversary team to play for four conference champions and is also the team's only three-time All-American (2003-2005). She finished tied for eighth among all individuals at the 2003 NCAA Tournament. Garriott, a two-time All-American, won 2003 SCAC Golfer-of-the-Year honors when she defeated Amore on the second playoff hole. The only four-time First Team All-SCAC performer on the all anniversary team, Garriott played on three conference championship teams. Her best finish at the NCAA Tournament was a tie for 14th her senior season in 2004. Schneider earned All-Amiercan honors in both 2003 and 2004 and was a four-time All-SCAC honoree. She placed third as a junior at the 2003 SCAC Championships and played for three conference championship teams. Schneider tied for 15th at the 2003 NCAA Tournament - her best career finish in three national championship appearances.

Rhodes also placed four golfers on the team and joining Burch as all-anniversary honorees are Stephanie Boyd, Whitney Bryant and Laura McKinney.

Boyd, a three-time All-SCAC performer, was the 1996 SCAC Golfer-of-the-Year as a freshman when she led Rhodes to its first conference title in the sport. Her two-day total of 181 at the University of the South Golf Course broke the championship's scoring mark by 14 strokes. Bryant, another three-time All-SCAC honoree, finished second, third and third from 2000-2002 at the SCAC Championships to help Rhodes to team titles in 2000 and 2001. She holds two of the top seven two-day totals ever recorded at the conference tournament. McKinney, a four-time All-SCAC performer and the 2002 SCAC Golfer-of-the-Year as a sophomore, propelled Rhodes to its third consecutive trip and a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Tournament that same season. She finished 12th individually at the national championships.

Joining Martin on the team from Southwestern is former teammate Allison Hooker.

Hooker played on conference title-winning teams in 1998 and 1999 as well as the 2000 Southwestern team that finished fifth in the nation. Hooker finished fourth, third and third at her three conference championship appearances - earning First Team All-SCAC honors every year. She finished tied for 15th at the 2000 NCAA Championships.

Trinity University also placed two members on the all-anniversary team - Jamie Ehlinger and Stacey Nicholson.

Ehlinger, a four-time All-SCAC honoree, posted a second-place finish at the 2002 conference championships as a freshman and book-ended her career with a tie for third in 2005 as a senior. She helped Trinity to back-to-back second-place finishes at the conference tournament in 2004 and 2005. Nicholson was the league's first Player-of-the-Year as women's golf was officially recognized and the first championship conducted at the 1995 Spring Sports Festival in Conway, Ark. She nearly won back-to-back titles, finishing five shots back in second place at the University of the South Golf Course in Sewanee the following year.

Lindsey Fields of Sewanee: University of the South rounds out the all-anniversary team. Fields, a four-time All-SCAC selection, finished a career-best second as a freshman at the 1998 SCAC Championships at Danville Country Club in Danville, Ky. She posted her team's best score at each of the four SCAC tournaments in which she participated.

The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference will be announcing 15th Anniversary teams in all 18 sports during the 2005-06 academic year. The SCAC was formed in 1991 after a reorganization of its predecessor, the College Athletic Conference (CAC). The CAC dates to 1962 with four charter members: Centre College, Southwestern @ Memphis (now Rhodes College), Sewanee-The University of the South, and Washington & Lee (Va.) University. Washington (Mo.) University joined the CAC later that same year.

The SCAC was formed to provide an association through which the member institutions may encourage organized competition in intercollegiate sports among teams representative of their respective student bodies. Members of this conference share a commitment to priority of the overall quality of academic standards and quality educational experiences.

The SCAC's 15th Anniversary teams were selected in each sport through balloting by present coaches and administrators. Athletes who participated in conference competition between the fall of 1991 through the spring of 2005 and had been named to at least two All-SCAC teams were eligible for selection.

x First Team All-SCAC
+ Second Team All-SCAC
# Golfer-of-the-Year

Due to weather, championships were not contested in 1997