Eastern’s golf squads both achieved their highest finishes in school history at the 2003 Ohio Valley Conference Championships.

Eastern ended the first day in fourth place but was able to leapfrog Austin Peay and Eastern Kentucky to finish as OVC runner-up.

The Eastern women’s team coasted to a second-place finish as the Panthers ended the 54-hole event with a team score of 971, which was 17 strokes ahead of Austin Peay. The Panthers got solid performances from junior Amanda Minchin who posted a 23-over-par 239, which placed her in fourth individually. Sophomore Dale Morris and senior Tyra Frederick also placed in the Top 10.

“As a team we were happy with the second-place finish after getting off to a bad start. We played two solid rounds to solidify second place, our best-ever conference finish,” Eastern head coach Jay Albaugh said.

Minchin started the tournament shooting an 86 but finished with rounds of 76 and 77 to earn a spot on the All-Tournament team and All-OVC honors with Frederick.

“Amanda Minchin, after getting off to a slow start, showed why she is one of the best golfers in the OVC,” Albaugh said.

Racers sophomore Lee-Ann Pace won the individual medalist honors after posting a final round 74 to win by 11 strokes. Pace started a stroke behind teammate Stephanie Baskey, firing a five-over-par 77 Monday. Pace, a South African native, took over the leader role with a 73 Tuesday, and then fired a final round of 74 to win her fifth tournament of the season. Fellow Racer Nikki Orazine finished as the runner-up while Baskey ended in third.

Austin Peay placed its name on the championship trophy for a third consecutive time as the Governors won by a 25 strokes. Austin Peay became the first team to claim back-to-back-to-back OVC men’s golf titles since former member Middle Tennessee won consecutive crowns from 1994-96.

Eastern finished with a school-best fourth-place finish as junior Kyle Maxwell finished as the only Panther in the Top 10.

“I thought we played solid golf all three days,” said Albaugh. “It was a nice way to finish the spring season after a slow start.”

Eastern senior Dave Rella was never a factor in his final collegiate event as the Canadian native finished with a 12-over-par score placing him in 16th place, but 17 strokes behind the winner.

Austin Peay junior Matt Gallant led wire-to-wire to finish with a 5-under-par 211 to win the event by three over Eastern Kentucky junior Brandon Brown.

Gallant won all three major awards as the Governor earned Player of the Year, All-OVC team and All-Tournament honors.

Defending champion Tennessee State sophomore Robert Dinwiddie failed to go two-for-two in the OVC Tournament, and ended the event at 10-over-par 226 and 15 strokes behind Gallant. Dinwiddie did achieve a Top-10 finish and All-OVC honors.