Greg Allen, women's golf coach at Vanderbilt since 2007, was coach of Arizona from 2000-2006. Allen led the Wildcats to two Pac-10 Championships and a runner-up finish at the 2002 NCAA Championship.
Vanderbilt took seventh at the 2010 NCAA Championship at Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington. N.C. Purdue won the title with the second-best team score in NCAA tournament history. Four of the top six teams came from the Pac-10.
Weather at the par-72, 6,368-yard course was good except for lightning delays during the second round.
The Commodores had two players finish among the top 25 in Brooke Goodwin, who tied for 13th (76-71-70-71=287), and Marina Alex, who tied for 21st (75-72-73-72=292).
Alex was named to the All-American first team.
Vanderbilt earned a berth to the NCAA tournament by finishing fifth in the 2010 NCAA East Regional at Ironwood Country Club in Greenville, N.C. The Commodores advanced to nationals for the fifth time since the program started in 1985, and their first since 2007.
Weather at the par-72, 6,321-yard course was windy during the third round, which caused the average score to rise by two strokes.
Leading the way at regionals for Vanderbilt was Alex, who tied for ninth (72-73-71=216). Two others to finish among the top 20 were Megan Grehan, who tied for 13th (74-70-73=217), and Goodwin, who tied for 19th (73-70-75=218).
Vanderbilt finished second in the 2010 Southeastern Conference Championship at NorthRiver Yacht Club in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The Commodores were four strokes behind tourney champ Alabama. Vandy's second place finish was its best since it won the SEC title in 2004. Weather conditions at the par-71, 6,057-yard NorthRiver layout were ideal, and the course played firm and fast.
Alex tied for first after 54 holes with Tennessee's Erica Popson, then won the SEC medal during a two-hole playoff. Alex shot a 6-under par 208 (71-65-72). Her second-round score was the lowest of the tournament. It was Vandy's first SEC medal since May Wood won in 2004. Also finishing in the top 10 was Goodwin, who tied for 10th (69-72-72=213).
Vandy's best early 2010 spring finish was fourth (out of 18 teams) at the Kinderlou Forest Challenge played in Valdosta, Georgia led by Marina Alex's (71-74-74=219) tie for second.
Vanderbilt finished 11th at the 2009 NCAA Division I East Regionals, and 10th in the SEC tournament.
Coach Allen is a 1993 graduate (journalism) from Murray State University focusing on sports. From 1993 to 1998 he worked for the AJGA as a communications director and tournament director.
Allen served as assistant men’s coach at University of Texas from 1998-2000. |
Yes