Saint Xavier Claims Women's Golf Championship

SILVIS, Ill. --- Saint Xavier University rallied from a six-hole deficit on Monday to win the 2023 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Women's Golf Championship by nine strokes Tuesday afternoon at TPC Deere Run.  It was the second title in the history of the program.  The Cougars also claimed the championship back in 2015.

Saint Xavier used a round of 350 on Day Two to win the seven-team event.  SXU opened with a 381 on Monday before peeling 31 strokes from its score on the second day to finish at 731 for 36 holes.

St. Ambrose University, the first-round leader, was second at 740, followed by Judson University at 754.

Saint Xavier was led by junior Hannah Kilbane (Orland Park, Ill.), who claimed medalist honors for the second time in three years.  She defeated University of St. Francis' Shannon Smith (Plainfield, Ill.) in a one-hole playoff after both players finished at 166 following the two rounds.  Kilbane carded an 89 and a 77, while Smith registered an 87 and a 79.      

Both players made the five-member all-tournament team as did St. Ambrose's Katherine Speer (Omaha, Neb.), Trinity Christian College's Taylor Martin (North Aurora, Ill.) and Olivet Nazarene University's Alexandria Jones (Bloomington, Ill.).  Speer shot 168 (83-85), Martin was at 172 (88-84) and Jones checked in at 174 (97-77).

With the title, Saint Xavier will return to TPC Deere Run on May 23-26 to compete in the NAIA National Championships.

For the complete results, go to Results.