BLOOMFIELD, CONN. – The Cortland women's golf team won its fourth straight Northeast Women's Golf Conference (NWGC) Championship and earned the program's second straight NCAA Division III championship team berth with a convincing showing at the two-day conference championship, held Saturday and Sunday at the Wintonbury Hills Golf Course.
 
As the NWGC champion, Cortland has qualified for an NCAA automatic berth and will compete at the national championship tournament May 9-12 at the Mission Inn Resort and Club in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla.
 
Cortland's five golfers claimed five of the top seven spots in the standings, led by tournament medalist Amanda Gaffney (Williamsville/Williamsville East), to win the team title with a final score of 626. The Red Dragons carded a 309 on Saturday and, after rainy conditions early in the day, a 317 on Sunday on the par-70 course. Cortland finished 87 strokes ahead of runner-up St. John Fisher (351-362-713). Suffolk was a close third with a 718 (354-364). A total of six schools competed as teams, with six other schools featuring individual golfers only.
 
Gaffney, a graduate student, won the title with a 153 that included a 75 on Saturday and a 78 on Sunday. She parred 25 of 38 holes (14 Saturday, 11 Sunday). Gaffney was named the NWGC Player of the Year by virtue of her league crown.
 
Sophomore Claudia Winterberg (Harrisburg, NC/Hickory Ridge) finished second with a 155. She led after Day 1 with a 74, including a birdie and 13 pars, and carded an 81 on Sunday with a birdie and five pars.
 
Sophomore Sophie Oristian (North Potomac, MD/Quince Orchard) tied for third place with a 158. Her opening round of featured a birdie and seven pars, and despite the tougher conditions she improved to a 78 on Sunday with a birdie and 11 pars.
 
Freshman Sarah Wiggins (Carson City, NV/Carson) earned NWGC Rookie of the Year honors as the top rookie finisher at the tournament. She placed sixth with a 167, starting with an 87 on Saturday and improving to an 80 on Sunday. She parred seven holes each day and had a birdie on Sunday.
 
Junior Kristina Visniesky (Buffalo/Orchard Park) placed seventh with a 168, including an 80 on Saturday that featured a birdie and seven pars.
 
The top five golfers were named to the NWGC all-conference first team, while the sixth through 10th finishers earned second-team all-league honors. A total of 42 golfers competed.
 
In all, Cortland women's golf has now won six straight league title - four in the NWGC (fall of 2019 and spring of 2021 and spring of 2022 in addition to this year) along with Empire 8 crowns in 2017 and 2018, before that league disbanded.
 
NORTHEAST WOMEN'S GOLF CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP (April 22-23, 2023)
Wintonbury Hills Golf Course; Bloomfield, Conn.
(par 70 each day)

FINAL TEAM SCORES:

Place, School                                           Day 1 - Day 2 - Total Score
1) Cortland                                                         309-317-626
2) St. John Fisher                                               351-362-713
3) Suffolk                                                           354-364-718
4) Utica                                                              374-374-748
5) Husson                                                           397-374-771
6) Westfield St.                                                 489-484-973
Keene St.                                                           445-inc.
Mount St. Mary                                                641-inc.
 
INDIVIDUAL SCORES (TOP 10)
(top 10 are all-conference; places 1-5 are first team, places 6-10 are second team)

Place, Name (School)                                    Day 1 - Day 2 - Total
1) Amanda Gaffney (Cortland)                        75-78-153
2) Claudia Winterberg (Cortland)                   74-81-155
T3) Sophie Oristian (Cortland)                        80-78-158
T3) Ellie Yarbrough (Suffolk)                           79-79-158
5) Lindsay Cote (Husson)                                 88-78-166
 
6) Sarah Wiggins (Cortland)                            87-80-167
7) Kristina Visniesky (Cortland)                       80-88-168
8) Michaela Eichas (St. John Fisher)                81-91-172
9) Gabrielle Papale (St. John Fisher)               87-87-174
T10) Carly Stefanini (Utica)                              88-90-178
T10) Bella McEnroe (St. John Fisher)               87-91-178
 
(42 golfers competed)