Over the past decade, no collegiate program has been more dominant than women's golf at Rollins College. One would even be hard pressed to find a more distinguished and tradition rich program than the Tars have built over their nearly 80 years on the links. From the time of legendary star Peggy Kirk Bell in the 1940's to the present era, Rollins has made a habit of turning out great golfers and also of ranking among the top programs in the country.
The Tars' first national title came in 1948 as Rollins defeated Ohio State behind the play of Ohio native Judy Baker. The following year, Betty Rowland, now Betty Probasco, transferred to Rollins from Kentucky and led the Tars to the 1950 national championship. Six years later, Rollins again found themselves atop the rankings as the 1956 national champions.
Nearly twenty years would pass before the Tars claimed their next championship. The 1974 Rollins squad defeated teams from all of the top major colleges in the country to win the AIAW National Championship.
The 1990's was a particularly fruitful decade for the Tars, as Rollins claimed three national championships and finished second on five other occasions. Rollins claimed back-to-back national titles in 1991 and 1992 and regained the championship in 1994. The Tars finished second to Longwood (VA) College in 1990, 1993 and 1995 and behind only Methodist (NC) College in the inaugural NCAA Division II/III Championship in 1996. In 1999, the Tars placed second to Sunshine State Conference rival Florida Southern.
The 2003 season sparked an improbable championship run that is sure to go unmatched for decades to come. Four straight national championships, four straight regional titles and four straight Sunshine State Conference titles thrust the Tars into the spotlight and made them the NCAA's most successful women's golf program. After finishing runner-up multiple times, the Tars captured their first NCAA Division II National Championship, led by freshman and individual champion Charlotte Campbell, who was also named National Player of the Year. Rollins came back the following year and set a new NCAA record by winning the team title by a record 68 strokes. Campbell repeated as individual national champion and Player of the Year. Rollins kept rolling through the 2005 season, winning national championship number three in a row by 35 strokes. The following year was more of a test, but the Tars still claimed their fourth straight championship in dramatic fashion. Senior Mariana De Biase birdied the final two holes of her collegiate career to win the individual title by one stroke. As the dust settled after the 2006 title, the Tars laundry list of accomplishments over the past four years included four National Player of the Year awards (Charlotte Campbell), three NCAA Division II National Champion medalists (Charlotte Campbell twice, Mariana De Biase once), two National Coach of the Year awards (Julie Garner), 20 NGCA All-American honors, and four Sunshine State Conference titles.
A new era was ushered in with Mays Landing, New Jersey native Joanna Coe joining the Tars as a freshman in 2007. She immediately established herself as one of the top collegiate players in the nation, winning medalist honors at the 2008 NCAA Division II National Championship.
Lost in all of the team accolades are the several Tars who have enjoyed individual success at the NCGA and NCAA level. Debbie Pappas '92 , won three Division II national championships. Bettina Walker '89 claimed a pair of NCGA titles while at Rollins. Cherie Hansen '96, was the 1996 NCAA Division II "Golfer-of-the-Year." Jennifer Tollette '97 posted three second place and one third place finish in her four trips to the National Championship. Tar Shruti Khanna tied for third in the 1997 NCAA Division II/III Championships. In the 2003 season, the Tars had three players in the top ten, including freshman Freddie Seeholzer, who finished fourth. Jennifer Beames finished tied for seventh, and Lena Mathies placed ninth. Charlotte Campbell is history's first ever four-time national player of the year, winning 2003-2006, and was twice low score at the national tournament. She was also twice honored as the Sunshine State Conference Female Athlete of the Year with teammate Mariana De Biase garnering the award once. Beames and Campbell are the SSC's only two-time winners of the Golfer of the Year award.
While the team success of the Tars has been tremendous, Rollins is also known for turning out some of the top professional golfers on the LPGA tour.
This trend began early as former Rollins star Peggy Kirk Bell was among the original pioneers of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). Since then, several former Rollins stars have gone on to earn glory on the professional tour.
Before retiring from the LPGA Tour in the late 1980s, Jane Blalock enjoyed tremendous professional success. She claimed 29 tour victories and was ranked among the top 10 on the money list 10 times. At one stretch during her career, Blalock went 12 years without missing a single cut.
The youngest player ever to win the USGA Junior Girls Championship, Hollis Stacy went on to enjoy a standout career at Rollins before developing into one of the top players on the LPGA Tour. During her time on the tour, Stacy claimed 18 tour titles and won more than $2 million. She is one of only four women to win the U.S. Open Championship three times, having claimed the title in back-to-back years of 1977 and 1978 and then again in 1984. She has ranked among the top 10 in earnings five times and placed in the top 10 in at least one event almost every year of her nearly three-decade career.
Muffin Spencer-Devlin is another former Tar who has enjoyed success on the LPGA Tour. The winner of three tournament titles and more than $900,000 during her career, Spencer-Devlin has topped the $100,000 mark in seasonal earnings three times.
Former Rollins standout Debbie Austin enjoyed a very productive career on the LPGA Tour. She posted seven tour victories and was ranked among the top 30 on the LPGA all-time career money list at the time of her retirement. She also later spent one season as coach of the Rollins women's golf squad.
Julie Larsen Piers, a 1984 Rollins graduate, also found success on the LPGA tour . Piers ranked 35th on the tour money list in 1996 after finishing 22nd in 1995. She earned her first and LPGA Tour victory in the 1995 Edina Realty LPGA Classic and retired from The Tour with $956,846 in career earnings.
In addition, several former Rollins women's golfers have distinguished themselves on the amateur level. Marlene Stewart Streit was the winner of the 1994 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship. Alice Dye, Betty Rowland Probasco and Barbara McIntire have also enjoyed tremendous success. Peggy Brass is a former coach of the Tars and has won many local Orlando golfing events.
Currently, Charlotte Campbell is making her mark in the LPGA after qualifying as an amateur for the 2006 U.S. Women's Open. She is currently playing in the LPGA Future's Tour.'
ROLLINS WOMEN'S GOLF TIMELINE
1930: Golf classes start at Sanlando C.C., taught by “Miss Marjorie Weber—“The Pro”
“New Sport.” Most Popular. First Classes and tournament played in the spring of 1930
1931: Classes met at Aloma C.C.- An odd even tournament was held
Through the years individual women enthusiasts appeared on pages of The Tomokan: Jones, Wood, Priscilla Hakes, Burk, etc.
Doty Lang was golf head
1933: Priscilla Hakes- golf head
1937: “Golf Team”- Ann Whyte, Betty Myers, Cricket Manwaring and Marie Smith (Varsity Players); Women’s Intramural golf is active
1938: Golf included in play day at Stetson
1941-1942: Peggy Kirk (Margaret Kirk)
Arrives at Rollins from Findlay, Ohio
Outstanding Ohio golfer-plays in local, regional tournaments while at Rollins. (Miami Biltmore, South Atlantic, Palm Beach Tourneys)
Fellow outstanding golfers at Rollins:
Georgia Tainter, Fargo, North Dakota: winner of all events plus Cuba Women’s Title in 1941
Mary Jane Garman, Hammond, Indiana
Sally Mendelson, Cleveland, Ohio
Peggy was an “R” Club Member:Went on to prominence as an LPGA Tour Pioneer Player-winner of Title Holders Championship
Became renowned as a “Teacher of Teachers”- Owns “Pine Needles” in Southern Pines, N.C. Developed by her and her late husband Warren Bell.
Sustained dedication to Rollins through time, talent, and financial support over the years-Reflected in the annual Peggy Kirk Bell Invitational Collegiate Tournament
1945: Jeanne Cline-Bloomington, Illinois
Won Tam O’Shanter All-American-1943
Decatur(IL) Open 1944
Ill. State 1944
Portland Amateur 1940
Western Junior 1941
“Illinois Glamour Girl”
Babe Wolf- good local player
Alice O’Neal- Indiana Junior Champ. Launching a career as an illiustrious national player
Married classmate Pete Dye and today are premier golf course design couple.
Alice Dye- RC Sports Hall of Fame, receiver of many awards in the golf industry as a player- architect and supports the advancement of women’s golf
1945-46: Rose Ann Shaffer- Toledo, Ohio
Played on team along with Alice O’Neal, Betty Lanier, Georgia Tainter, Jane Nelson, Lee Bongart, and Mimi Ambler
1946: Instructor, Pete Schoonmaker former Rollins golfer returned from war to help instruct. Women’s
Women’s team went from four to eight players
1946-1947: Claire Mosack, Detroit City Champion
Played in the winter tournaments including the Doherty Challenge Cup in Miami
The collegiate women played in annual play day at Stetson.
Roseann, Lee, Alice, and Claire played “The Summer Circuit” in clubs around the country
1947-1948: Judy Baker (Lima, Ohio) joins the team and wins Women’s Nat’l Collegiate over Ohio State
1948-1949: Roslyn “Cookie Swift” arrives- NY Metro Junior Champion
Calire Mosack: Wins National Collegiate Championship (Individual)
Betty Rowland: Tranfers to Rollins College from Kentucky
National Intercolliegiate Golf Champs: Rosann Shaffer, Clara Mosack, Cookie Swift, and Judy Baker
Betty Rowland: Lexington, KY City Champion, Central Kentucky Champion, now perennial top tournament competitor as Betty Probasco
1951: Betty Rowland wins National Collegiate Championship for Rollins
Allee Chatham- Also plays on men’s team
Marilyn Klumb
Barbara Bremerman
1951-1952: Marlene Stewart- Canadian “Woman Athlete of the Year” Fonthill, Ontario, Canada
Also played on the men’s team in 1954
1954 British Amateur Champion, Canadian Champion, and Closed Champion
1956 North-South Amateur Champion
1956 U.S. Amateur Champion
1956 National Women’s Intercollegate Champion
1953: Prominent women also:
Barbara Bremerman
Mary Ann McDonald
Donna Knox
1954-1955: Barbara McIntire- Toledo, Ohio
1952 Western Jr. Champion
1951-1952 National Jr. Runner-Up
1954 Western Amateur Semi-Finalist
Became Top National Competitor
1954: Roma Nuendorf- Canada
Peggy Simpson-Athens, Georgia
Bevelle Nabors
Ann Rutherford-Harrisburg, Penn.
Ann Richardson-Columbus, Ohio
Lorraine “Rainy” Abboit- Ohio State golfer
Carol Pflug
1961: Betsy Harshaw, Penn.
Jane Faxon, Mass. Jr. Girls Champion
Martha Page, Maine St. Champion and New England Champion
Judy Jones, Ohio
1962: Martha wins 5th straight Maine Women’s State Championship
1963-1964: RC women’s team solidifies
Jane Blalock
Penny Page
Sally Charles
Barbara Bodman
Sabra Whiting
Wins Florida Intercollegiate and repeats in 1964 and 1965
1965-1966: Connie Hirschman- arrives to become Pa. State Champion
Preston Alexus- Wilmington, N.C.
1966-1967: Debbie Austin- Oneida, NY
Hugh McKean and top administration collect enough funds to send the team to compete at the National Women’s Intercollegiate Championship in Seattle, Wash.
President McKean made the girls earn their expenses by setting up a challenge, where they had to win every hole from him and they did.
Team: Janie Blalock
Debbie Austin
Meezie Pritchett- Raleigh, N.C.
Preston Alexius- Wilmington, N.C.
Goal: Bring the Rollins name to the top of the golf world
1968: Tars Blalock, Alexius, and Austin are Rollins contingent in Doherty Cup Challenge
1969: Team joined by
Laurie Cohen
Doll Story
Ann Heath
Merry Ross
Lynn Mercer
1973: First Rollins Invitational for women-
1974: Won AIAW National Championship
1988: Bettina Walker wins NCAA Small College National Championship
1989: Bettina Walker wins second straight NCAA Small College National Championship
1990: Finished second to Longwood (VA) at NGCA National Championship
Debbie Pappas wins individual national championship
1991: Won NGCA National Championship
Debbie Pappas wins individual national championship
1992: Won NGCA National Championship
Debbie Pappas wins individual national championship
1993: Finished second to Longwood (VA) at NGCA National Championship
1994: Won NGCA National Championship
Jennifer Tollette finishes second at NCAA Division II National Championship
1995: Finished second to Longwood (VA) at NGCA National Championship
Jennifer Tollette finishes second at National Championship
1996: Finished second to Methodist College at inaugural NCAA Division II/III National Championship
Cheri Hansen named NCAA Division II Golfer of the Year
Jennifer Tollette finishes second at NCAA Division II National Championship
1997: Shruti Khanna and Jennifer Tollette tie for third at NCAA Division II National Championship
1999: Finished third at NCAA National Championship
2000: Finished second at NCAA National Championship
2001: Finished second at NCAA National Championship
2002: Freddie Seeholzer finishes sixth at NCAA National Championship
2003: Rollins wins NCAA National Championship; Charlotte Campbell wins individual title and is named NGCA National Player of the Year
2004: Rollins wins NCAA National Championship; Charlotte Campbell wins individual title and is named NGCA National Player of the Year
2005: Rollins wins NCAA National Championship; Charlotte Campbell named NGCA National Player of the Year; Rollins sets NCAA Championship scoring record
2006: Rollins wins fourth straight NCAA National Championship; Mariana De Biase wins individual title; Charlotte Campbell named NGCA National Player of the Year
2007: Rollins finishes second at NCAA National Championship
2008: Rollins wins NCAA National Championship, sets new NCAA scoring record; freshman Joanna Coe wins individual National title.
2009: Rollins wins a record seventh Sunshine State Conference title; Joanna Coe wins medalist honors at the SSC Championships with a birdie on the second playoff hole. Two weeks later, the Tars finished tied for third at the NCAA Division II National Championships
2010: Rollins finishes second behind rival Nova Southeastern at the NCAA Division II National Championship. Joanna Coe named All-America for third-straight season.
Coaches
1974- Peggy Jarnigan
1978- Joe Justice, Peggy Simpson Brass-advisor
1981-1982- Scherry Allision
1984-1987-Julie Garner
1987-1989-Debbie Austin
1989-1996-Iris Schneider
1996-1997-Julie Garner
1997-2000-Marla Weeks
2000-present-Julie Garner
ROLLINS Women's Golf
