April 22, 2005
Columbia, Mo. - University of Missouri senior Maria Ohlsson and junior Denise Knaebel were named to the All-Big 12 First Team, it was announced on Thursday night at the 2005 Big 12 Golf Championships pre-tournament banquet in Austin, TX. This marks the first time that the Tigers have had two members of the squad named to the first team in league history. Knaebel and Oklahoma State junior Karen Sjodin were the lone repeat selections from a year ago while Ohlsson and Oklahoma State senior Annie Thurman-Young moved up from second to first team.
Knaebel and Ohlsson have both put together two of the most prolific seasons in MU women's golf history. They have led the No. 16 Tigers to three team titles and both rank in the top 10 in the Big 12 in stroke average. Ohlsson paces the Tigers with a 74.50 stroke average (which would be a school record if the season were to end today) and has recorded seven top 10 performances in nine tournaments played on the year. The highlight of the talented senior's season came at the first tournament of the fall at the Lady Northern Classic when she set Mizzou records for low 18-hole total (66), low 54-hole total (214) on her way to her first victory of her career.
Knaebel has been equally as impressive with a 74.61 stroke average (just one hundredth of a stroke off of her school record she set last season) which ranks second on the squad. Knaebel has finished in the top 20 in seven of the eight tournaments she has played in so far this season and has four top 5 finishes to her credit on the season. The two time All-Big 12 First Team honoree also earned Academic All-Big 12 First Team honors for the second straight season last week.
The two Tiger standouts will both look for continued success at the Big 12 Championships this weekend as both have finished in the top 10 in each of the last two Championships. Knaebel finished eighth her freshman year in 2003 and Ohlsson finished fourth last season.
The Tigers have just teed off in the opening round of the Big 12 Championships, which will be played over the next three days at the University of Texas Golf Course in Austin, TX. Live scoring for the event can be accessed by logging on to www.mutigers.com via www.golfstat.com. A complete recap of all of the day's action will be posted on www.mutigers.com later this afternoon.
All-Big 12 First Team
Name School Cl. Hometown Louise Kenney Iowa State Sr. Dunfermline, Scotland Denise Knaebel Missouri Jr. Moberly, MO Maria Ohlsson Missouri Sr. Vetlanda, Sweden Karin Sjodin Oklahoma St. Jr. Gonthenburg, Sweden * Annie Thurman-Young Oklahoma St. Sr. Highland, Utah * Big 12 Player of the Year