Marissa Cuervo Signs Letter of Intent to Play Golf at UCR

(May 17, 2006) - Marissa Cuervo of Villa Park HS in Villa Park, CA has signed a national letter of intent to play women's golf at UC Riverside, Head Coach Paul Hjulberg announced.

"I'm excited that Marissa will be joining us as a Highlander," Hjulberg said. "She will add to the depth of the women's program."

Cuervo played for Coach Chris Salio at Villa Park HS, helping the Spartans to a first place finish in the Century League and a fourth place finish in CIF-SS Championships in 2004 and a third place finish in the Century League in 2005. A four-year golf letterwinner, she earned first-team All-Century League honors in 2005. Her personal best is a 74 at Los Serranos Golf Club. She placed fifth in the SCPGA points standings.

Highlanders Open Season With 15th Place Finish at Trysting Tree, Bermingham Places Fifth

(Sept. 19, 2006) - UCR sophomore Jennifer Bermingham carded a three-over 219 over three rounds of the Salbasgeon Suites Invitational Golf Tournament at Trysting Tree Golf Club, hosted by Oregon State University. The Highlanders as a team finished in 15th place with a three-round total of 938, 74 over par and 60 shots behind the tournament winner, University of Denver.

UCR opened play Monday with a round of 310, then finished at 314 in round two. They completed the tourney with a second 314 round on Tuesday.

Bermingham shot a first round 71 and a second round 72 Monday, then finished with a third round 76 to finish at 219, three shots over par and five shots behind Denver's Stephanie Sherlock, who won the tournament with a total of 214.

UCR freshman Ashlee Yee was the next closest finisher for the Highlanders, placing in a tie for 49th at 234, 18 over par.

Highlanders In Fifth After First Day in Washington

(Sept. 25, 2006) - Four UC Riverside women's golfers sit in the top-20 as the Highlanders carded a combined team score of 614 to finish in fifth place after day one of the Inland Empire Intercollegiate at Hangman Valley GC in Spokane, WA.

In Monday's first round, four Highlanders broke 80, led by sophomore Jennifer Bermingham's (Long Beach, CA) one-over 73. Sophomore Allison Ek (Cypress, CA) and freshman Ashlee Yee (Sacramento, CA) each posted scores of 78 while freshman Michelle Mannix (Valencia, CA) was one stroke behind at 79.

The Highlanders' first round score of 308 was topped in the afternoon as UCR carded a 306. Idaho leads the nine-team tournament at 600 with Eastern Washington in second place at 602. Hosts Gonzaga (608) sits in third while Montana is in fourth on 613, one stroke ahead of the Highlanders.

Ek improved on her first round with a four-over 76 to sit in a tie for 13th on 154. Mannix and Yee are one stroke behind in a tie for 17th while Bermingham is another stroke back at 156, tying for 20th. Freshman Linda Ong (Pleasant Hill, CA) is in a tie for 28th at 158.

EWU's Marli Mikulecky leads the tournament at two-under 142.

The tournament concludes Tuesday.

Highlanders Post Four in Top-20 At Spokane, Finish Fourth

(Sept. 26, 2006) - The UC Riverside women’s golf team tied for the low round of the day, shooting a final round 305 Tuesday to move up to fourth place in the nine-team Inland Empire Women’s Intercollegiate, hosted by Gonzaga University at Hangman Valley GC in Spokane, WA. Sophomore Jennifer Bermingham placed ninth among individuals with a third round 71, leading four Highlanders who earned top-20 finishes.

UCR started the day in fifth place, one stroke behind Montana and 14 strokes behind leaders Idaho. The Highlanders carded their best team score of the tournament, following up a 308-306 with a 305 to surge past Montana and into fourth at 919. Idaho won the tournament with a score of 908 with Eastern Washington (912) and hosts Gonzaga (913) in second and third, respectively.

Bermingham recovered from a disasterous second round 83 to post the lowest third round total of one-under 71. Her final tally of 73-83-71 moved her into the top-10 at 227, 11 over par. Three other Highlanders also placed in the top-20. Coming off her lowest collegiate round of 76 in the second round, sophomore Allison Ek shot a solid 77 to finish at 231, tying for 14th. Freshman Ashlee Yee was two strokes back in 17th place at 233 while freshman Michelle Mannix was in a three-way tie for 18th at 234. Freshman Linda Ong was tied for 27th at 238 while freshman Alexandra Erdman tied for 51st at 255 playing as an individual.

Idaho’s Kelly Nakashima was the individual champion, shooting a three-round total of 219.

UCR next competes at the Lady Aztec Fall Classic, hosted by San Diego State at the Auld Course on October 16-17.

Highlanders in 17th at Aztec Fall Classic

(Oct. 16, 2006) - The UC Riverside Highlanders women's golf team is in 17th place after one round of the TaylorMade Aztec Fall Classic Tournament in San Dieg. The tournament began play Monday at the Salt Creek Golf Club.

The Highlanders shot a first round 316, 37 shots behind first place University of Denver, which blistered the field with a team score of 279, nine shots under par. The Bears placed four golfers among the top 11 in the round

UCR sophomore Jennifer Bermingham and freshman Linda Ong are tied for 46th place after shooting six-over 78's in the first round. Sophomore Allison Ek and freshman Ashlee Yee are two shots behind at 80, tied for 69th place.

The tournament continues Tuesday.

Highlanders Finish 18th at Aztec Fall Classic

(Oct. 17, 2006) - The UC Riverside Highlanders women's golf team finished in 18th place at the TaylorMade Aztec Fall Classic Tournament in at the Salt Creek Golf Club in San Diego.

On a tough day for golf that saw scores significantly higher than Monday, the Highlanders carded a second-round 327 for a two round total of 643, 67 over par. The University of Denver won the tournament, besting the other 18 teams with a two round total of 582.

UCR sophomore Jennifer Bermingham was the Highlanders' top finisher, placing in a tie for 31st at 10-over 154. Freshman Ashlee Yee finished in a tie for 77th at 18-over 162 Sophomore Allison Ek and freshman Linda Ong rounded out the top finishers, placing in a tie for 86th place at 20-over 164.

Highlanders 15th After Two in Hawaii

(Oct. 25, 2006) - The UC Riverside Highlanders women's golf team is in 15th place with a two round total of 647 at the Kent Youel Invitational at the Kapolei Golf Course Tuesday in Kapolei, HI. The host Hawai'i squad is in first place at 29-over-605, two strokes ahead of UC Irvine and first round-leader San Francisco.

Freshman Ashlee Yee leads the Highlanders with a total of 159, 15-over par, good for a tie for 42nd place.

The tournament concludes Wednesday. Tournament results can be found here.

Highlanders Finish 15th in Hawaii

(Oct. 26, 2006) - The UC Riverside Highlanders women's golf team finished in 15th place with a three-round total of 963 at the Kent Youel Invitational at the Kapolei Golf Course Wednesday in Kapolei, HI. The University of San Francisco shot a final round 298 to capture the tournament by six shots over the host University of Hawai'i, 905 to 911.

Freshman Ashlee Yee was the Highlanders top finisher, placing 48th at 239, 23-over par.

Tournament results can be found here.

Bermingham Takes Title, UCR Third at Cal Poly

(Nov. 7, 2006) - Sophomore Jennifer Bermingham recorded the second tournament victory of her career, winning the Firestone Grill-Cal Poly Invitational at Cypress Ridge Golf Course in Arroyo Grande on Tuesday. As a team, the Highlanders finished a season-high third in their final tournament of the fall.

Bermingham started the day in third place after an opening round 72, one stroke behind co-leaders sophomore Allison Ek of UCR and Kelsey Fischer of UC Davis. Ek and Fischer both stumbled on the windy day as Bermingham tied for the lowest round of the day with an even-par 73. Bermingham posted five birdies, one eagle (the par-5 432-yard eighth hole), five bogeys, one double-bogey and six pars, finishing the tournament with a total of 12 birdies and a five-stroke win over second place Sydney Roughton of UC Davis.

Ek shot an 83 on Tuesday to fall into a tie for 10th at 154. Freshman Ashlee Yee equaled her Monday round of 81 to tie for 31st at 162. Freshman Linda Ong was two strokes behind her at 164, tying for 38th. Freshman Michelle Mannix rounded out the Highlander contingent in a tie for 65th at 173.

In the team scoring, UCR dropped from second to third in the 19-team tournament with a second round 324. The Highlanders finished three strokes ahead of Cal Poly but were four strokes behind Sacramento State and trailed the champion Aggies by 13 strokes.

The tournament was the last on UCR’s fall schedule. The Highlanders open the spring campaign February 5-6 in Ensenada, Mexico.

Highlanders Two Strokes Back at Cal Poly

(Nov. 6, 2006) - The UC Riverside women’s golf team is in second place, two strokes behind UC Davis after Monday’s first round of the Firestone Grill-Cal Poly Invitational at the Cypress Ridge Golf Course in Arroyo Grande. Sophomore Allison Ek is tied for the tournament’s overall lead, carding a two-under 71.

The Highlanders got strong outings from their top players as Ek shot a 35-36 for a round of 71. Ek made four birdies and two bogeys to sit alongside Kelsey Fischer of UC Davis. Sophomore Jennifer Bermingham is one stroke behind the pair in third place after shooting 37-35, 72.

Freshman Linda Ong is also in the top-20, carding a four-over 77 to tie for 13th. Freshman Ashlee Yee is tied for 34th on 81 while freshman Michelle Mannix shot 86 to tie for 64th.

UCR totaled 301 to separate themselves by five strokes over third-place Sacramento State. Cal Poly is in fourth at 311 and Weber State is fifth at 314. UC Davis leads the 19-team tournament on 299.

The tournament concludes on Tuesday with the final 18 holes.

Bermingham Wins Big West Golfer of the Month for November

(Nov. 15, 2006) - UC Riverside sophomore Jennifer Bermingham earned her first career Big West Conference Female Golfer of the Month award for her performance in November, it was announced Wednesday by the conference office.

Bermingham (Long Beach, CA/Millikan HS) recorded the second tournament victory of her career November 6-7, winning the Firestone Grill-Cal Poly Invitational at Cypress Ridge Golf Course in Arroyo Grande. Bermingham opened the tournament with a first-round 72 (-1), good enough for third place at the midway point. On day two, she went one stroke lower to tie for the lowest round of the day with an even-par 73. Bermingham finished the tournament with a total of 12 birdies and a five-stroke win over second place Sydney Roughton of UC Davis while UCR placed third as a team.

Bermingham is the second Highlander in program history to earn the conference’s Female Golfer of the Month recognition, following Lindsay Snowden for March 2004.

The Highlanders open the spring campaign February 5-6 in Ensenada, Mexico.

Highlanders Finish 14th in Ensenada

(Feb. 7, 2007) - The UC Riverside Highlanders finished in 14th place at the Baja Classic Tournament at Ensenada, Mexico, hosted by Northern Illinois University.

The tournament was cut to two rounds due to fog. The University of Oregon won the tournament with a two-round total of 609, four shots better than second place Louisville. Kimberly McCready of Oregon was the medalist with a total of 145.

The Highlanders shot 650 over the two rounds. Freshman Ashlee Yee finished in a tie for 27th at 156, sophomore Jennifer Bermingham was 41st at 161, Meaghan Montoya was 56th at 165, freshman Linda Ong 74th at 170 and sophomore Allison Ek 78th at 172.

UCR returns to action on February 12-13 as they host the UC Riverside Lady Braveheart Tournament at Oak Valley Golf Club.

UCR To Host 17-Team Lady Braveheart Challenge

(Feb. 9, 2007) - The UC Riverside women's golf team will host its only home tournament of the season, the third annual Lady Braveheart Challenge on Monday-Tuesday, February 12-13 at Oak Valley Golf Club in Beaumont, CA. The 17-team field is the largest in the tournament's history.

Participating Schools:
UC Riverside, Cal Baptist, Cal Poly, Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Northridge, Cal State San Marcos, Gonzaga University, Montana State, Northern Colorado, Northeastern State (OK), Portland, Sacramento State, San Diego State, Santa Clara, UC Davis, Utah Valley State and Western Washington.

Tournament Format:
Two 18-hole rounds across two days. Shotgun start daily at 8 a.m.

Course Layout:
Oak Valley Golf Club: 6,191-yards, par-72
Located at 1888 Golf Club Drive in Beaumont.

Results:
Results from each round will be available on the UCR website at the conclusion of each day's play.

Defending Champions:
San Diego State won the 2006 Lady Braveheart Challenge, shooting a team score of 624. Jessica Huss of Cal Poly was the individual medalist at 153, nine over par.
UC Riverside finished in sixth place in 2006, with Jennifer Bermingham leading the way at 162, tying for 14th. UCR's best placing was second in 2005.

Highlanders Tied For Seventh at Lady Braveheart Challenge

(Feb. 12, 2007) - UC Riverside is tied for seventh place with a first-round total of 326 at the Lady Braveheart Challenge Golf Tournament at the Oak Valley Golf Club in Beaumont, CA Monday. The Highlanders are tied with CS Northridge and Gonzaga.

San Diego State and UC Davis are tied for first with a total of 309, 10 shots better than third place Cal Poly,

The Aggies' Bryana Gregory and Sydney Roughton are tied for first with a par-72 first round, but UCR sophomore Jennifer Bermingham is in third, one stroke behind at 73.

The tournament concludes Tuesday.

Bermingham Wins Lady Braveheart Challenge, UCR T-8th

(Feb. 13, 2007) - Sophomore Jennifer Bermingham recorded the third tournament victory of her career, winning the third annual UC Riverside Lady Braveheart Challenge, held at Oak Valley Golf Club in Beaumont, CA. As a team, the Highlanders finished in a tie for eighth among the 17 participating teams.

Bermingham started the day in third place after an opening round 73, one stroke behind co-leaders Bryana Gregory and Sydney Roughton of UC Davis. Bermingham carded her second consecutive one-over 73 on Tuesday to finish at 146, four strokes clear of Gregory, who turned in a 78 to fall to second at 150. Roughton dropped to fifth with a second-round 81. The victory was the second this season for Bermingham, who also won the Firestone Grill-Cal Poly Invitational in November.

UCR followed up a first round 326 with a 329 on Tuesday for a total of 655, tying with Sacramento State, and just three strokes out of fourth place. San Diego State won the tournament on 621, 10 strokes clear of second place UCD.

The Highlanders next compete March 3-4 at the Red Rocks Invitational, hosted by Northern Arizona University.

Highlanders 15th After First Day at Red Rocks

(March 3, 2007) - UC Riverside sits in 15th place after the first day's play at the Red Rocks Invitational, hosted by Northern Arizona University at Oak Creek Country Club in Flagstaff, AZ. Sophomore Jennifer Bermingham is in a tie for eighth place among individuals.

Bermingham shot a three-over 75 to be among five players in a tie for eighth. Freshman Ashlee Yee is tied for 55th on 83, +11, with freshman Linda Ong one stroke behind that. Sophomore Allison Ek and freshman Michelle Mannix each carded rounds of 88 to tie for 84th. The Highlanders shot 330 as a team.

Alice Kim of Northwestern University leads the tournament with a first round 70, two under par. As a team, Northwestern holds a one-stroke lead over Michigan at 298, 10-over par.

The tournament concludes Sunday.

Highlanders Move Up to Finish 11th at NAU

(March 4, 2007) - UC Riverside saw a 13-stroke improvement from the opening round to rally for an 11th place finish at the Red Rocks Invitational, hosted by Northern Arizona University at Oak Creek Country Club in Flagstaff, AZ. Sophomore Jennifer Bermingham tied for eighth place among individuals.

Bermingham shot a second day 76, four over par, to go along with Saturday's 75 for a two-round total of 151, seven over par. She tied with Nebraska's Ellie Brown for eighth, four strokes behind co-winners Liliana Alvarez of Northwestern and Diana Hong of Washington State.

Freshmen Ashlee Yee and Linda Ong each moved up a spot to tie for 52nd after second rounds of 80. They completed the weekend at 164, +20. Sophomore Allison Ek shot 88-82 to tie for 68th and freshman Michelle Mannix placed in a tie for 81st at 179.

As a team, the Highlanders improved from Saturday's 330 to shoot 318 for a total of 649, 73 over par. They were just four strokes out of the top-ten. Northwestern won the 16-team tournament by a stroke over WSU with a two-round team total of 601.

The Highlanders travel back to Arizona March 12-14 for a tournament hosted by Montana State at Palm Valley Country Club in Goodyear, AZ.

Highlanders Tied for Ninth at Bobcat Desert Classic

(March 12, 2007) - UC Riverside shot an opening-round 315 to sit in a tie for ninth place after the first day's play at the Bobcat Desert Classic, hosted by Montana State University in Goodyear, AZ. Sophomore Jennifer Bermingham is in a tie for sixth place among individuals.

Bermingham shot a three-over 75 to be among six players in a tie for eighth, three strokes behind Cal Poly's Hannah Brabb and Christy Carter of Oral Roberts. Some players were unable to finish their first rounds due to darkness.

Cal Poly leads the 20-team tournament at 301. The three-day tournament continues tomorrow and concludes on Wednesday.

Highlanders Place Fifth at Bobcat Desert Classic

(March 14, 2007) - UC Riverside shot an final-round 317 to finish in a tie for fifth with a three-round total of 934 at the Bobcat Desert Classic, hosted by Montana State University in Goodyear, AZ.

The Highlanders finished in a tie with Northern Arizona University, 19 shots behind Cal Poly and Sacramento State, who led the way with a score of 915.

UCR placed three golfers among the top 20. Ashlee Yee was the low scorer with a total of 229, 13-over par, after shooting a final round 78. Allison Ek and Jennifer Bermingham tied for 19th place at 232, 16 over par. Each shot a final round 79.

The Highlanders travel back to Arizona March 12-14 for a tournament hosted by Montana State at Palm Valley Country Club in Goodyear, AZ.

Highlanders 12th After First Two Rounds at UC Irvine

(March 26, 2007) - UC Riverside shot an first day total of 659 to sit in 12th place after two rounds of play Monday at the Anteater Invitational, hosted by UC Irvine at Dove Canyon Country Club.

The Highlanders opened the day with a team score of 325, tying for ninth among the 14 participating schools. In the day's second round, UCR could not equal its achievements from the morning, shooting 334 to finish the day at 659, four strokes behind 11th-place Cal Poly and just seven strokes from the top 10.

Sophomore Jennifer Bermingham continued her fine play with rounds of 79 and 77 to tie for 14th on 156, 14-over par. Freshman Ashlee Yee is 57th at 168 with sophomore Meaghan Montoya a stroke behind that. Freshman Linda Ong (171) and sophomore Allison Ek (172) round out the Highlander competitors while freshman Alexandra Erdman, playing as an individual, is at 173.

The hosts UC Irvine lead the tournament at 597, 26 strokes clear of second-place San Jose State with the Anteaters' Selanee Henderson pacing the indviduals at 1-under 141, a lead of seven strokes over the next closest competitor.

The tournament concludes with Tuesday's final round.

Highlanders Finish 10th at Anteater Invitational

(March 27, 2007) - UC Riverside Highlanders finished in 10th place with a three round total of 982 Tuesday at the Anteater Invitational, hosted by UC Irvine at Dove Canyon Country Club.

The Highlanders improved two spots with the help of three individuals who shot final-round 79's. Sophomore Jennifer Bermingham placed in a tie for 10th overall at 235, 22-over par. Sophomore Meghan Montoya was tied for 41st at 35-over 248 and sophomore Allison Ek was tied for 58th at 38-over 251.

The host UC Irvine Anteaters won the tournament with a three-round total of 909, beating second place San Jose State by 30 strokes. The Anteaters' Selanee Henderson took medalist honors with a three round total of 216.

Highlanders Fourth at CSUN

(April 9, 2007) - UC Riverside shot an opening-round 331 and is fourth after Monday's play at the CSUN Spring Invitational, hosted by Cal State Northridge at Tierra Rejada Golf Course in Moorpark.

On a day when scores sky-rocketed, Allison Ek had the low round for the Highlanders, firing a nine-over 81 for a four-way tie for eighth. Ashlee Yee is a stroke behind in a tie for 12th with Jennifer Bermingham and Michelle Mannix tied for 17th on 84. Linda Ong is a stroke behind them on 85 with Alexandra Erdman, playing as an individual, on 90.

Portland's Paige Rachor and Kathryn Hansen of Cal State San Marcos are tied for the tournament lead at 76 (+4).

Portland leads the six-team pack at 316, two strokes ahead of the host Matadors. Cal State San Marcos is third on 327. UCR is a stroke up on fifth-place Cal Poly.The tournament concludes with Tuesday's final round.

Highlanders Finish Fourth at CSUN

(April 10, 2007) - UCR sophomore golfer Allison Ek placed third and the UC Riverside Highlanders finished fourth overall with a two round total of 649 at the CSUN Spring Invitational, hosted by Cal State Northridge at Tierra Rejada Golf Course in Moorpark.

Ek tied for the low round of the day with a second round 75, giving her a two-round total of 156, three shots behind medalist Kathryn Hansen of CSU San Marcos, who won the tournament at 153.

As a team, the Highlanders finished fourth among the six teams at 649, one shot behind third place Cal Poly and 18 shots behind first place Portland. The Highlanders improved 13 strokes on the day, jumping from 331 to 318.

Freshman Michelle Mannix improved to17th with a second round 79, giving her a total of 163 for the tournament.

The Highlanders conclude the regular season with the Big West Championships at Tijeras Creek Golf Club on April 23 and 24.

Highlanders Finish Fourth at CSUN

(April 19, 2007) - The UC Riverside women’s golf team will seek to add to its improving conference performances when it participates in the Big West Championships (par 72, yardage: 6,059) starting Monday at Tijeras Creek Golf Club in Rancho Margarita. The tournament will begin with two rounds on Monday, teeing off at 7:30 am and 12:30 pm, and the final round on Tuesday. UCR is seeded third and will go out with the first group. The Highlanders will send out Jennifer Bermingham, Allison Ek, Ashlee Yee, Linda Ong, and Michelle Mannix, at nine-minute intervals. Live tournament stats will be available on Golfstat.com.

UCR Season Notes
• The Highlanders enter the 2007 Big West Championships coming off their second-best showing of the 2006 season in their last tournament, placing fourth at the Cal State Northridge Spring Classic (April 9-10). Sophomore Allison Ek led the way with a third-place finish, the best of her career.
• UCR’s top team placing was at the Firestone Grill-Cal Poly Invitational (Nov. 6-7), when they came in third out of 18 teams. Sophomore Jennifer Bermingham won the event, shooting 145 (72-73) in the two rounds for a five-stroke victory. Ek was the co-leader after the first round with a one-under 71. She finished in a tie for 10th.
• Bermingham also won the Lady Braveheart Challenge (Feb. 12-13), UCR’s lone home event of the season. Bermingham carded identical rounds of 73 for a four-stroke victory to claim her third career title.
• Bermingham claimed her first career Big West Golfer of the Month award in November following her victory at Cal Poly. She is the third female Highlander in school history to win the honor, joining Lindsey Snowden for March 2004 and Kimberly Feliciano for April 2003.
• The Highlanders also had a fourth-place showing at the I.E. Women’s Intercollege (Sept. 25-26) with a 919, the team’s lowest three-round total of the season.
• The lowest team round of the season came in the opening 18 holes at the Firestone Grill-Cal Poly Invitational, when the Highlanders shot 301 as a team. It was the second-lowest round in program history.
• UCR’s second-round 302 at the Bobcat Desert Classic (March 12-14) was the day’s low round among all 20 participants.
• Bermingham, Ek, and freshman Ashlee Yee have played the most rounds this season at 27. Freshman Linda Ong has played 24.
• Bermingham owns the team’s lowest scoring average at 76.93. She is also tied for the season’s lowest single-round score, a 71, which she fired twice in the fall. Ek also has carded a 71 at the Firestone Grill-Cal Poly Invitational. Both rounds of 71 are career-bests for the players and tie for the second-lowest round in Highlander women’s golf history.
• Bermingham leads the Highlanders with five sub-par rounds and has the most birdies with 66, ranking 28th in the nation. Ek has two rounds of par or better.
• UCR has nine individual top-10 finishes on the season.
• Three different Highlanders have earned team medalist honors this season, with Bermingham leading the way with seven top finishes. Yee has paced UCR on three occasions with Ek finishing highest once.
• At three sophomores and four freshman, the Highlanders are the youngest squad in the Big West Conference.

UCR Big West Championship Notes
• Last year’s third place showing at the Big West Championships was the best by UC Riverside since joining the conference in 2002. The Highlanders shot 316-311-314 for a tournament total of 941, topping the team’s previous best by 45 strokes (986 in 2004).
• Bermingham led the way, tying for seventh (73-76-79, 228), to earn second team all-conference accolades. Bermingham was also named the conference’s Freshman of the Year.
• Lindsey Snowden finished in a tie for 11th with three rounds of 78, also earning second team honors.
• UC Irvine is the defending conference champion, having posted a team score of 886 last season. UCI placed four players in the top-five, including medalist Selanee’ Henderson, who carded a 219 to win by a stroke over teammate Jane Chin.
• Bermingham and Ek are the only current Highlanders with Big West Championships experience, with Yee, Ong, and Mannix making their debuts. Ek tied for 16th in 2006.
• Six teams will compete in this year’s Big West Championships, although only five will score. UC Davis will participate but does not become a full-fledged conference member until next year.
• This is the fourth consecutive year in which the Big West Championships is being held at Tijeras Creek G.C. Admission to the championship is free.

Highlanders Third After First Day at Big West Championships

(April 23, 2007) - UC Riverside had a fine opening day, sitting in third place after two rounds Monday at the 2007 Big West Golf Championships at Tijeras Creek Golf Club in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. Sophomore Jennifer Bermingham knocked in a hole in one en route to tying for fifth among individuals with one round left to play.

Bermingham's day started with an even-par 72 in the morning round, highlighted by a spectacular hole-in-one on the 142-yard par-3 14th hole. She followed that with a two-over 74 in the afternoon and is in a tie with Jee Park of UC Davis, one stroke out of fourth and two out of third. The Aggies are competing but not counting in the standings as they gain entry in the Big West next season.

Freshman Ashlee Yee recovered from a first round 80 with a 78 to sit in 15th at 158 (+14). Freshman Michelle Mannix is 19th at 163 with freshman Linda Ong a stroke behind in a four-way tie for 20th. Sophomore Allison Ek moved up from a tie for 27th to a tie for 23rd with a second-round 78 that followed a first round 87.

UC Irvine's Patty Chawalitmetha leads the tournament at 139 (-5).

Coming off a program-best third-place finish at last year's conference championships, the Highlanders opened this year's tournament with a morning round of 314. They improved by four strokes in the afternoon with a 310 for a two-round total of 624, 48 over par, six strokes behind second-place Long Beach State. UC Irvine leads the five-team tournament at 591. Cal State Northridge is fourth at 631 with Cal Poly fifth at 638.

The Big West Championships conclude Tuesday. Postseason awards will be announced following the conclusion of play.

Highlanders Finish Third at Big West Championships

(April 24, 2007) -UC Riverside sophomore Jennifer Bermingham shot a final round 76 to finish fourth overall at the 2007 Big West Golf Championships at Tijeras Creek Golf Club in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. As a team the Highlanders finished third overall at 938, 74-over par and 18 shots behind second place Long Beach State. UC Irvine won the tournament with a final total of 892.

Freshman Ashlee Yee finished in 13th place at 238, 22-over par. Freshman Michelle Mannix was tied for 16th at 241, 25-over.

Following the tournament, Bermingham was named First Team All-Big West, while Yee earned Big West Honorable Mention.

"We matched our finish from last year, and we have a very young team this year with three freshman and two sophomores. So that is a great step for us. They did a lot of growing up this year," Head Coach Paul Hjulberg said.

We were fairly consistent across the board and didn't have many bad rounds," Hjulberg added.

Bermingham had a strong performance on the front nine Tuesday, posting a birdie and eight pars. But she struggled after the turn with five bogeys to finish at four-over on the day. Bermingham shot a hole-in-one in the first round, "slam dunking" her shot on the par-3 14th hole, 142 yards away.