Raiders Solid in 2009-10                                                                                        07/08/10

Orange City, Iowa— The Northwestern College women’s golf team experienced a great deal of success during the 2009-10 season. Under the direction of head coach Harold Hoftyzer, in his 12th season at the helm, the Red Raiders registered the third best team scoring average (355) since 2000 and eight top-five finishes. Coach Hoftyzer’s squad concluded its season with a seventh place finish out of 11 teams in the four round, 72-hole GPAC championship, shooting a 354 in the final round. One Red Raider, junior Maggie Achterhof (Orange City, Iowa), earned all-conference honors for the second straight year by placing 13th at the GPAC championship. “Maggie performed well for us this past year,” commented head coach Harold Hoftyzer. “She understands that good competition brings out her best and frankly, she actually played better than her 13th place finish in the GPAC.”

The Raiders started the season with successive top-four finishes, placing fourth at the USF Invite and third in its annual fall event, the Lady Red Raider Invite. Achterhof turned in a runner-up finish at the home meet, carding a five-over 77, the best score registered by a Northwestern women’s golfer since 1996. Coach Hoftyzer’s squad recorded its best performance of the season at the Lady Reiver Fall Classic, finishing second with a 340. “This meet, against strong competition, showed us the strength of this team’s performance skill and ability,” stated Hoftyzer.

Continuing to play some of their best golf of the season, the Red Raiders finished fourth at the Dana Invite and followed with a third place finish at the two-day Briar Cliff Lila Frommelt Classic. Achterhof led the way once again with a pair of second place finishes at both events. Northwestern followed with an outstanding performance in the first round of the GPAC championship, tying Briar Cliff for fourth place with a 344. The Raiders ended their fall season with a seventh place finish in the second round of the GPAC championship.

Northwestern opened the spring season with a third place showing at the Morningside Invite in their only tune-up prior to the third round of the GPAC championship. Needing to make a move to get back in the conference race, the Red Raiders once again finished seventh in the third round with a 366 at River Wilds Golf Course in Blair, Neb. With the spring weather being uncooperative, Coach Hoftyzer’s squad played in just two meets over a two-week span, finishing fourth in their home spring event and second at the USF Spring Invite, led by Achterhof who battled the windy conditions to earn medalist honors with an 83. She later was named the conference player of the week. Northwestern concluded its season with an outstanding showing in the final round of the GPAC championship, placing third with a 354, making up over 10 strokes on the third through sixth place teams.

Achterhof led the Raiders with an 82.4 scoring average, the best season total in the program’s history. She finished in the top 10 in seven of nine events and registered the top-five scoring rounds since 1996. Rachelle Pedersen, a senior from Nora Springs, Iowa, closed out her career with a 90.6 scoring average, placing in the top 10 in two events. She was named an NAIA Scholar-Athlete for the second straight year. Andria Hinz (Cottonwood, Iowa) followed up an outstanding freshman year with a solid 91.2 scoring average, placing in the top 10 in two events. Anne Eberline (Grundy Center, Iowa) and Sara Horn (Hawkeye, Iowa) both averaged a 92.5. Eberline, a senior, also earned NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors. Three freshmen, Caitlyn DeCock (Lamberton, Minn.), Kayla Johnson (Astoria, S.D.) and Leigh Van Hove (Worthington, Minn.), gained valuable collegiate experience as members of the junior varsity and filling in on the varsity squad.