Rodriguez Highlights MAC Championship with Sportswoman of the Year Honors

Sunday, April 23

Silver Lake, Ohio

All Day

Bowling Green State University

MAC Championship

Rodriguez Highlights MAC Championship with Sportswoman of the Year Honors

April 23, 2017 | Women's Golf

By: Jenna Jorgensen (Assistant Director of Athletic Communications)

Final Results

SILVER LAKE, Ohio – The Bowling Green women's golf program's Fran Rodriguez highlighted the 2017 Mid-American Conference Championship when she was honored as Sportswoman of the Year. In competition, the Falcons finished ninth overall with a 54-hole team score of 972, +108 by combining for 125 pars and 15 birdies to round out the 2016-17 campaign.

"I am proud of the way the team finished today," Bowling Green women's golf head coach Stephanie Young said. "They worked hard and kept believing, knowing they could finish strong."

A native of Flower Mound, Texas, Rodriguez closed out competitive play with a low round of 81 in Sunday's action for a total score of 245, +29. Rodriguez was named Sportswoman of the Year after being voted as such by players at the MAC Championship. The award recognizes the player whom other players most enjoy playing or conversing with, recognizes the good rapport with her own team, but also respects the competition and makes players feel comfortable to be around her. Additionally, the award is presented to Rodriguez as a player to be considered worthy of representing women's intercollegiate golf to others. On the course at the MAC Championship, Rodriguez also earned two birdies paired with 25 par scores in her final event of her career at BGSU.

"What an honor for Fran and BGSU to be voted Sportswoman of the Year," added Coach Young. "It is a fantastic way to finish out a career."

For the sixth time this season, sophomore Erin Fahey topped the Bowling Green lineup with a total score of 233, +17. In the field of 49 players, the Austin, Texas native finished in a tie for 18th overall and closed out with a team-leading six birdies and 31 par scores. Additionally, Fahey led the Falcons by posting an even average of 3.00 on par 3 scoring, while with her low round of 73 in the final 18 holes, Fahey jumped 17 spots in the standings from Saturday to Sunday. In addition to finishing on top of the Bowling Green lineup on six occasions, Fahey carded a low round of 72 two times this season.

Freshman Jessica Madry rounded out her first MAC Championships appearance with a low round of 79 in the third round for a three-day total of 246, +30. A native of Houston, Texas, Madry accrued 27 pars as well as three birdies while averaging 3.17, +2 strokes on par 3 holes. On the season, Madry topped the Falcons lineup at the Pine Hills Shootout, and posted a season-best round of 75 on the year at the ORU/SFA Spring Break Shootout.

With a total score of 248, +32, sophomore Julia Durkin tallied a total of 23 par scores and three birdies in the 54-hole tournament. After opening with a score of 84, the Miramar, Fla. native posted back-to-back rounds of 82 to close out her first MAC Championship appearance. In the 2016-17 campaign, Durkin marked her season-best round of 77 at the OSU/SFA Spring Break Shootout earlier this spring.

Rounding out the Bowling Green lineup was junior Madelynn Swank with a total score of 259, +43. The Clarendon Hills, Ill. native notched 19 par scores in addition to a single birdie throughout the three-day competition. On the season, Swank marked a low round of 76 at the Cardinal Classic in September 2016.

Kent State won its 19th straight MAC Championship title with a score of 875, +11, while the Golden Flashes Michaela Finn claimed the individual title by a score 214, -2.

2017 MAC Sportswoman of the Year
Fran Rodriguez

9.            Bowling Green                  327, 330, 315 – 972, +108
T18.       Erin Fahey                          79, 81, 73 – 233, +17
T43.       Fran Rodriguez                  81, 83, 81 – 245, +29
T45.       Jessica Madry                    83, 84, 79 – 246, +30
47.         Julia Durkin                        84, 82, 82 – 248, +32
49.         Madelynn Swank              88, 85, 86 – 259, +43