In 2009-10, the Nova Southeastern University women’s golf team won nine of their 11 tournaments with only two second-place finishes and capped it with their second consecutive NCAA Division II national title. This year, just over one week after raising their national championship banner in the Arena at the Don Taft University Center at a ceremony during an NSU volleyball match, the top-ranked Sharks started in similar fashion by winning the Sonoma State Women’s Invitational in Santa Rosa, Calif., to kick off the 2010-11 season.
The two-time defending national champion Sharks showed their power as the number one team in the nation winning the three-day tournament by 39 strokes over second place Western Washington. NSU won in convincing fashion, firing an 876 (294-293-289) over the three-day event, held Sept. 19-21.
Three Sharks finished in the top five led by three-time NCAA Division II National Player of the Year Sandra Changkija. The senior Orlando, Fla. native shot a three-over 75 in the opening round, then fired back-to-back rounds of 70 to finish as the tournament individual medalist at one-under par 215.
Nicole Whitmore followed just three strokes back in second place at 218 (73-73-72), while sophomore Abbey Gittings finished third at three-over par 219 (72-74-73). Both Taylor Collins and Mona Fredrika Hakansson rounded out the Sharks squad tied for 11th.
The Sharks will return to Florida and will head out to Tampa for the USF Waterlefe Invitational on Oct. 4-5.