Fullerton College Advances to State Tournament

Solvang, CA – Fullerton College has qualified for the CCCAA women's golf state championship tournament for the first time in school history after finishing second at the Southern Regional held November 10-11 at the Alisal Ranch course in Solvang.

The Hornets, who finished as runners-up in the Orange Empire Conference this season to Palomar but came on strong at the end to win the Conference Championship tournament with a two-day total of 665 to beat Palomar by 10 strokes, posted a two-day team score of 639 at Alisal Ranch to finish second to Santa Barbara City College (624).  Those two teams were way out ahead of third place Palomar (660) with Canyons (675), Desert (685) and Saddleback (686) completing the field.

It will be Fullerton's first-ever trip to the women's golf state tournament and the Hornets will be joined by Northern Regional qualifiers Canada College and Modesto Junior College as teams trying to win their first state title.  The other Southern Regional representative, Santa Barbara City College, has two state titles to its credit as the Vaqueros captured the 2006 and 2008 crowns.

In 18 previous women's golf state tournament events, the representatives from the Southern Region have a decided advantage.  Southern teams have captured 17 of the previous titles with only Sacramento City College breaking up the monopoly with a state title in 2009 for the Northern Region.  The Orange Empire Conference has been well represented at the women's golf state championship with Cypress (1997), Saddleback (2003) and Irvine Valley (2010, 2012) capturing state titles.

Two teams and 12 individuals from each region will vie for both a team title as well as individual honors.  Eight of the 12 individuals from the south will be representing the Orange Empire Conference at the state tournament.  Those vying for individual medalist honors are Iris Chung from Mt. San Jacinto College, Sadye Busby and Vanessa Honnes from Palomar College, and Leleaga Meredith and Cindy Dang from Irvine Valley College.  Nea Bennett, Kacy Kaichi, and Shana Siaki of Fullerton College will have their scores count towards both the team title as well as individual medalist honors.

This year's state tournament will be held on Monday and Tuesday, November 18-19, at the Tracy Country Club course in Tracy.