Quinnipiac Women’s Golf Cruise to Win 2021 MAAC Women’s Golf Championship
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL – Quinnipiac University captured their third MAAC Women’s Golf Championship in program history on Sunday at Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course. The Bobcats led all three rounds, culminating in a final score of 750 (+30) to clinch the team championship by 18 shots.
Due to the occurrence of inclement weather on Sunday Morning, the championship’s final round was reduced to a 9-hole round.
All five of Quinnipiac’s golfers managed to finish the weekend in the top-20 of the leaderboard to complete a strong weekend for the Bobcats. Sophomore Leeyen Peralta led the way for the team, concluding the championship in a tie for second place with a four over-par 184. In addition to Peralta, teammates Kaylee Sakoda (+7) and Elena Ybarra (+12) found themselves in the top-10 to wrap up the championship.
Maria Loza from the University of Hartford was the winner of the 2021 McLeod Trophy. Since 1986, the Charles “Scott” McLeod Award has been presented annually to the individual winners of the MAAC Men’s and Women’s Golf Championship. The award is presented in memory of Scott McLeod, a 1980 graduate Iona College a member of the Pelham Country Club, and a sponsor of the MAAC Golf Championship when the event was first held at Pelham.
For Loza, this is her second consecutive MAAC individual championship, becoming the first Hawk in program history to accomplish the feat. After the capturing the 2019 championship with a ten over-par 226, she finished the day just one over-par at 37 to end the weekend at 181 (+1) and claim the 2021 title.
Dayton’s Sarah O’Connor earned MAAC Women’s Rookie of the Year honors. She set a program-best finish in the MAAC Championship by tying for second place with a score of 184 (+4) for the 45-hole event.
Fairfield head coach Doug Holub was selected as both the MAAC Men's and Women's Golf Coach of the Year. Holub is the first coach to win both awards in the same season. He is Fairfield's second-ever coach to receive Coach of the Year honors on the men’s side, and is the program’s first-ever MAAC Women's Golf Coach of the Year recipient.
| 2021 Women’s Golf All-MAAC Team |
| Place |
Name |
Class |
School |
Total |
| 1 |
Maria Loza |
Sr. |
Hartford |
181 (+1) |
| T2 |
Leeyen Peralta |
So. |
Quinnipiac |
184 (+4) |
| T2 |
Sarah O’Connor |
Fr. |
Dayton |
184 (+4) |
| 4 |
Grace Cuttone |
Sr. |
Siena |
185 (+5) |
| T5 |
Sydney Nethercott |
Fr. |
Fairfield |
187 (+7) |
| T5 |
Kaylee Sakoda |
So. |
Quinnipiac |
187 (+7) |
| T7 |
Liddie McCook |
So. |
Monmouth |
190 (+10) |
| T7 |
Megan Henry |
Gr. |
Albany |
190 (+10) |
| 9 |
Amber Thornton |
Fr. |
Albany |
191 (+11) |
| 10 |
Elena Ybarra |
Sr. |
Quinnipiac |
192 (+12) |
Quinnipiac will find out their postseason schedule during the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championship Selection Show on Wednesday, April 28 at 2 p.m. The show will air on the GOLF Channel.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) celebrates its 40
th year of competition during the 2020-21 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.