FINAL RESULTS

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Junior Spencer Heller fired a five-over-par 77 again on Saturday, finishing with a 72-hole score of 308 (+20) to place eighth at the 2012 NCAA Division II Women's Golf Championships, which took place this week at Persimmon Ridge Golf Course (par 72/6,283 yards) in Louisville, Ky.  Heller carded rounds of 78, 76, 77 and 77 to mark her highest individual placing in three career apperances at the national tournament.

ROUND 4 of 4:  SATURDAY, MAY 19
Final Scores:  78-76-77-77--308 (+20)   |   Final Place:  8th
NCAA Individual Champion:  Abbey Gittings, Nova Southeastern (72-75-78-73--298;  +10)

Heller started Saturday's fourth and final round a bit slow, carding three bogeys on the first four holes, but she would go on to par 12 of her final 14 to score a +5 (77).  She finished 10 strokes behind the individual champion from Nova Southeastern, Abbey Gittings, who brought in a final score of 298 (+10).  Gittings won medalist honors by two shots over UNC Pembroke's Meghan Moore (300; +12).  Gittings' teammates -- Liliana Cammisa and Daniela Ortiz -- tied for third at 301 (+13).  For the rest of the individual finishes, click here.

For Heller at the NCAA Championship, she recorded 17 bogeys, three double bogeys and three birdies to wrap up the 2011-12 season.  A two-time All-American for the Seawolves, she has now recorded 27 top 10 finishes in 36 career events, which does not include two dual matches against Dominican in the last two seasons.

In the team competition, Nova Southeastern pulled away from the pack on the final day, cruising to its fourth straight NCAA title with a score of 1234 (+82), 20 strokes ahead of second-place Florida Southern (1254; +102).  Grand Canyon (1273; +121) placed third, Barry (1284; +132) was fourth and rounding out the top five was Tarleton State (1291; +139).  California of Pennsylvania (+148), Grand Valley State (+149), Central Oklahoma (+151), Indianapolis (+153), Augustana of South Dakota (+168) Colorado Mesa (+239) and Western New Mexico (+251) placed sixth through twelth in the 12-team championship.

Heller, who earned co-medalist honors at last week's NCAA West Regional in Arizona and represented Sonoma State University as an individual, placed higher than her previous two trips to the national tournament.  She placed 10th individually as a freshman in 2010, then finished in a tie for 15th as a sophomore last year.

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ROUND 3 of 4:  FRIDAY, MAY 18
Score:  78-76-77--231 (+15)   |   Place:  9th
Leader:  Daniela Ortiz, Nova Southeastern (73-72--79--224;  +8)

Heller got Friday's round started with a couple of pars, but a bogey on #3 and a double bogey on #5 would set her at +3.  She then drained six consecutive pars before carding a birdie on the par 3, 142-yard 12th hole to drop to +2.  However, Heller would bogey the next hole (#13), par holes 14, 15 and 16, then bogey her final two holes at 17 and 18 to finish at +5 (77) on the day.

"I was a little disappointed with the way I played a few holes today (Friday)," said Heller.  "I struggled with some key shots on a few holes that required me to hit a certain shot.  Much of the course is about placement, if you place yourself in a specific spot, then you're playing the hole right.  When you deviate from the plan, it becomes much harder to break even on the course."

Heller remains within striking distance of the lead, though, as Nova Southeastern's Daniela Ortiz (73-72-79--224) carded a seven-over-par 79 on Friday to fall to +8 in the tournament.  She remains in the lead, one shot ahead of her teammate, Abbey Gittings (72-75-78--225; +9).  Four participants are tied in third place at +12 (228), followed by Grand Valley State's Sarah Hoffman (78-78-73--229; +13) in seventh, Central Oklahoma's Chaney Uhles (76-79-75--230; +14) in eighth and Heller in ninth.

In the team competition that consists of 12 schools, Nova Southeastern (929; +65), which is seeking its fourth consecutive national title, leads second-place (and top-ranked) Florida Southern (938; +74) by just nine shots, followed by Grand Canyon (957; +93), Barry (961; +97) and Grand Valley State (962; +98).

Heller, who earned co-medalist honors at last week's NCAA West Regional in Arizona, is making her third straight appearance in the national tournament and is representing Sonoma State University as an individual.  In her career at the NCAA Championships, she placed 10th individually as a freshman in 2010, then finished in a tie for 15th as a sophomore last year.  She is a two-time All-American for the Seawolves and is on pace to become the eighth student-athlete in SSU history to be named a three-time All-American.

ROUND 2 of 4:  THURSDAY, MAY 17
Score:  78-76--154 (+10)   |   Place:  t-5th
Leader:  Daniela Ortiz, Nova Southeastern (73-72--145;  +1)

Heller began round two at the start of the course on Thursday and would card three bogeys and a double bogey on the front nine to go up to +5 on the day (+11 overall).  She would settle down on the back nine, scoring six straight pars to remain at +5. 

Heller would finally roll in her first birdie of the tournament, recording a three on the par-four, 354-yard 16th hole.  On the next hole, she dropped in a bogey, putting her back at +5, but a birdie on the par-five, 511-yard 18th to finish her round on Thursday, kept Heller nine shots back of the lead at +4 on the day and +10 in the tournament.

"Today's round was somewhat similar to yesterday's round," Heller said.  "However, I came back a lot stronger on the second nine.  Val (Verhunce) and I worked on some areas in my game after yesterday's round, so today I focused on my ball position throughout the round."

She added that "some of today's pin placements were still a little tricky, like yesterday's, but the officials are supposed to make them a little easier on us for the next few days.  After playing the course a few times now, I have shot a good round on each nine.  Now my goal is to just put them together for the next two days."

Only nine of the 69 other participants in this week's NCAA tournament scored the same, or better, than Heller on Thursday.  Nova Southeastern's Ortiz, who overtook the lead from her teammate Abbey Gittings in the second round, carded the best round of the day, shooting an even-par 72.  Ortiz (73-72--145; +1), Gittings (72-75--147: +3) and UNC Pembroke's Megan Moore (75-75--150; +6) sit atop the leaderboard in first, second and third places, respectively.  Nova Southeastern's Liliana Cammisa (76-76--152; +8) is fourth, followed by Heller and three other golfers in fifth place at 154 (+10).

ROUND 1 of 4:  WEDNESDAY, MAY 16
Score:  78 (+6)   |   Place:  t-10th
Leader:  Abbey Gittings, Nova Southeastern  (72;  E)

It was an early morning for Heller, as she teed off at 8:40 a.m. Eastern Time (5:40 a.m. Pacific Time) on the 10th hole.

"It was a little difficult to wake up around 3:00 California time to play," explained Heller.  "It takes some time getting used to, but once you're warmed up, it's not so bad."

Her day began with a par before two consecutive bogeys would put her at +2.  Heller rolled in four straight pars on holes 13 through 16, but she would shoot three-over-par on the next two holes to wrap up the front nine at +5.  On the back nine, Heller went on to record par on eight of her nine final holes, but a bogey on No. 5 (her 14th hole of the day) would set her at +6 after 18 holes with 54 left to play.

"I think I played alright today," added Heller, "but I didn't happen to make any birdies.  I'm hoping to make some over the next few days!  The room for error is pretty small out there.  After shooting an okay round, I feel as if I can only do better for the next three rounds.  I'm looking forward to the room  that I have to make up (between herself and the leader)."

Heller trails individual leader Abbey Gittings of Nova Southeastern (72; E) by six shots.  Gittings' teammate, Daniela Ortiz, is in second place at +1 (73), Florida Southern's Melanie Audette is third at +2 (74) and UNC-Pembroke's Meghan Moore is fourth at +3 (75).  Three participants are tied for fifth (+4; 76) and two are tied for eighth (+5; 77) ahead of Heller, who is tied with Grand Valley State's Sarah Hoffman in 10th place.

"I really enjoy the course," Heller said.  "It is much tougher than most of the courses we play, but it should be since it's the national championship.  As this is my third NCAA championship, this one in particular has been the most difficult, but most beautiful course out of the three.  It is unique and one of the most creatively designed courses I have ever played."