Even though winning women's golf championships may be old hat for Methodist, Monarchs first-year head coach Vici Pate got to put a new feather in it.

The Monarchs won their 16th golf championship in 18 years and their sixth consecutive, but it was the first for Pate, who succeeded Kim Kincer and Karen Gray, skippers of teams that won six titles in the first seven years of the NCAA Division III Women's Golf Championships.

Methodist won three titles when the championships were a combined Divisions II and III event from 1996 through 1999. The 2003 title is the Monarchs' fourth straight Division III crown. Before 1996, Methodist won nine championships sponsored by the National Golf Coaches Association.

Methodist claimed this year's NCAA title by a Division III-record 53 strokes. The Monarchs carded a final-round 321 for a total score of 1,296. Mary Hardin-Baylor, last year's runner-up, finished strong, passing two teams in the final round to placed second with a 1,349 score. DePauw finished third at 1,350, followed by Saint Mary's (Indiana) at 1,353.

For Saint Mary's (Indiana), it was the first time the team had competed in the NCAA postseason, but the Belles' Stefanie Simmerman showed no signs of first-year jitters on her way to medalist honors. The Saint Mary's sophomore fired two sub-80 rounds and never trailed in the final two rounds, posting a 315 total, four shots better than Methodist's Jessie Hunter.

Other Methodist golfers included Michelle Meadows, who tied for third, Hope Thomas, who tied for eighth, and Melissa Arnett, who finished 11th.

Team results

1. Methodist, 316-329-329-321 -- 1,295; 2. Mary Hardin-Baylor, 333-350-338-327 -- 1,348; 3. DePauw 335-353-330-331 -- 1,349; 4. St. Mary's (Ind.), 345-355-331-322 -- 1,353; 5. Wis.-Oshkosh, 343-344-333-341 -- 1,361; 6. Wis.-Eau Claire, 351-341-344-328 -- 1,364; 7. Gust. Adolphus, 353-346-344-345 -- 1,388; 8. St. Lawrence, 351-356-345-348 -- 1,400; 9. Simpson, 357-356-358-340 -- 1,411; 10. McMurry, 368-379-342-351 -- 1,440.

Individual results

1. Stefanie Simmerman, St. Mary's (Ind.), 76-82-77-80 -- 315; 2. Jessie Hunter, Methodist, 77-82-78-82 -- 319; 3. (tie) Jennifer Prock, Wis.-Eau Claire, 85-77-82-79 -- 323; and Michelle Meadows, Methodist, 79-79-83-82 -- 323; 5. Kristy Schaaf, Macalester, 86-83-78-79 -- 326; 6. Emily Breedlove, Mary Hardin-Baylor, 74-86-88-79 -- 327; 7. Brittany Cary, McMurry, 83-91-77-79 -- 330; 8. (tie) Lindsay Amore, DePauw, 83-85-84-79 -- 331; Hope Thomas, Methodist, 80-83-88-80 -- 331; and Gail Nelson, Ill. Wesleyan, 80-85-86-80 -- 331; 11. Melissa Arnett, Methodist, 85-85-83-79 -- 332; 12. Courtney Teser, St. Lawrence, 79-81-85-88 -- 333; 13. Amy Simon, Wis.-Oshkosh, 868-82-81-83 -- 334; 14. Megan Mattia, St. Mary's (Ind.), 83-86-82-84 -- 335; 15. (tie) Jessica Schneider, DePauw, 84-88-81-83 -- 336; Maggie Loney, Wis.-Eau Claire, 84-86-83-83 -- 336; and Carrie Franciskovic, Mary Hardin-Baylor, 85-86-84-81 -- 336; 18. (tie) Jennifer Lymangood, 80-92-85-80 -- 337; and Meghan Clement, St. Lawrence, 87-84-84-82 -- 337.

20. (tie) Steph Schenfeld, Simpson, 84-90-80-85 -- 339; Cheryl Treadwell, Wis.-Oshkosh, 80-87-83-89 -- 339; Audry Longo, Mt. Holyoke, 83-87-90-79 -- 339; and Deb Garriott, DePauw, 87-91-80-81 -- 339; 24. (tie) Katie Aplin, Gust. Adolphus, 87-86-84-84 -- 341; and Randi Reed, McMurry, 87-91-78-85 -- 341; 26. Lisa Chambers, DePauw, 81-89-85-88 -- 343; 27. Lauren Clemens, Mary Hardin-Baylor, 92-90-80-84 -- 346; 28. (tie) Lisa Irons, Wis.-Whitewater, 88-87-88-84 -- 347; Susan Karlman, Wis.-Eau Claire, 88-86-88-85 -- 347; and Kristen Monsell, St. Lawrence, 85-91-86-85 -- 347; 31. Emily Colenbrander, Hope, 86-90-86-86 -- 348; 32. Jen Hudson, Rhodes, 84-93-87-85 -- 349; 33. (tie) Katie Glorvigen, St. Thomas (Minn.), 87-88-86-89 -- 350; Alana Reetz, Gust. Adolphus, 89-86-84-91 -- 350; and Erin Schliep, Gust. Adolphus, 96-83-89-82 -- 350; 36. Amanda Tuskey, Mary Hardin-Baylor, 88-95-86-83 -- 352; 37. Julia Adams, St. Mary's (Ind.), 93-95-83-80 -- 353; 38. (tie) Kristin Huth, Wis.-Oshkosh, 97-89-85-83 -- 354; Charla Speer, Franklin, 89-86-90-89 -- 354; Theresa Ashorn, Texas Lutheran, 90-89-84-91 -- 354.

41. (tie) Julie Solomon, Mary Hardin-Baylor, 86-88-94-87 -- 355; and Marcia Perry, Wis.-Oshkosh, 90-86-89-90 -- 355; 43. (tie) Carrie Detjen, Wis.-Oshkosh, 85-101-84-86 -- 356; and Kelsey Getz, Gust. Adolphus, 89-91-88-88 -- 356; 45. Diane Imburgia, Millikin, 89-91-91-86 -- 357; 46. Amy Morgan, McMurry, 89-95-88-86 -- 358; 47. (tie) Chrissy Dunham, St. Mary's (Ind.), 93-100-89-78 -- 360; and Janelle Claiborne, Simpson, 96-86-96-82 -- 360; 49. Amber DeRiemacker, Simpson, 84-90-100-87 -- 361; 50. Karen Law, Wis.-Eau Claire, 98-92-92-81 -- 363; 51. Senta Willenborg, Simpson, 97-94-88-86 -- 365; 52. Crystal O'Connell, Wis.-Eau Claire, 94-93-91-89 -- 367; 53. Audra Butts, DePauw, 88-99-93-89 --369; 54. (tie) Liz Hanlon, St. Mary's (Ind.), 94-92-91-94 -- 371; and Karen Smith, Simpson, 88-90-94-99 -- 371; 56. Gina Sehnert, Gust. Adolphus, 93-101-88-93 -- 375; 57. Katie Natti, St. Lawrence, 106-100-90-98 -- 394; 58. Patty Bresnahan, St. Lawrence, 100-106-99-93 -- 398; 59. Abby Crume, McMurry, 109-102-99-101 -- 411.