NW Briefs: UW women sit 15th after 1st round of NCAA golf

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The 23rd-ranked Washington Huskies shot 17-over-par 305 in the first round at the NCAA Women's Golf Championship, placing 15th headed into today's second round.

USC leads the 24-team field after shooting 3-over 291. Pepperdine's Eileen Vargas shot a 4-under 68 to take the individual lead.

"We got off to a rough start," said Washington coach Mary Lou Mulflur. "Sung Ea Lee started really well, but we had a couple players struggling right of the bat, which is never a good sign. There's a lot of golf left, that's what I've tried to emphasize to the team this week. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Nothing is decided in the first round. We're not in the best position but we're still within striking distance. I'm glad we're playing early tomorrow so we can come right back out and get at it."

Lee turned in UW's best round of the day, shooting 3-over 75. She is 33rd heading into the second round. Paige Mackenzie, who earned medalist honors at each of the last two events (Pac-10 Championship and NCAA West Regional), shot 4-over 76 and placed 46th.

"Paige drove the ball well, she just didn't get it as close to the pin as she usually does," Mulflur said. "She's been playing extremely well of late and there's no reason to think that won't continue. I think today was just an aberration, that she's got three great days ahead of her."

Also shooting 76 for the Huskies was Kim Shin. Amber Prange and Courtney McCracken turned in matching rounds of 6-over 78 and tied for 86th in the field.

Notes

• Kentucky junior first baseman Ryan Strieby, a Mountlake Terrace High and Edmonds Community College product, was selected Southeastern Conference Baseball Player of the Year. Strieby led the SEC in doubles (20), total bases (150), slugging percentage (.718), on-base percentage (.474) and runs batted in (75).

• Taylor Olson, from Seattle's Bishop Blanchet High, and J.J. Mulligan, from Reno, have signed to attend Seattle University and play men's basketball. Olson, a 5-foot-10 guard, was a Metro League first-team member who scored 20.9 points per game during his senior year.

• Jennifer Jacobs, a 5-9 guard from Bremerton High, has signed a national letter of intent to join the Central Washington women's basketball program.

• David Fox and Bobby Benes of Pacific Lutheran have been named to the All-West Region third team by the American Baseball Coaches Association.

• Gonzaga's Kari Durgan and Julie Smetana have been named West Region national scholar athletes by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association.

• After finishing in a tie for the lead in Monday's round with a score of 69, Kelly White of Blaine and Sarah Cooper of Bellingham pulled away from the field at the Yakima Country Club in their final round Tuesday with an 8-under 64 to capture the seventh WSGA Women's Best-Ball championship.

NCAA Women's Championships

At Uppder Arlington, Ohio

(Played at the 6,203 yard, par 72

Scarlet Course, Ohio State University)

FIRST ROUND

Team scores

Compiled from sports-information reports and other sources