Longwood University Athletics

The 1987 and 1988 Women’s Golf Teams captured back-to-back National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) Division II National Championships, the first-ever national championships at Longwood. Coached by Hall of Fame head coach Dr. Barbara Smith, the 1987 team posted a championship card of 327-321-309--957 to defeat runners-up Rollins College by 15 strokes at the Evergreen Country Club in Elkhorn, Wis., May 4-6, 1987. The Lancers won three tournaments that year while finishing third three times and notching eight top-10 finishes overall in 10 tournaments, averaging a team score of 322.5.

The 1988 team repeated as champions, logging a 312-308-322--942 to easily out-distance runner-up Troy University by 34 strokes at the Dubuque Country Club in Dubuque, Iowa May 2-4, 1988. The Lancers also won three tournaments that year while finishing second twice among eight top-10 team finishes overall in nine tournaments, averaging 319.0.

Team members included Tina Barrett ‘88, Leslie Oscovitch Gartner ‘87, Tammy Lohren ‘88, Marcia Melone ‘88, Libby Moore ‘88, Kim Poirier ‘89, Gretchen Pugh ‘88, Leigh Russell Woody ‘88, and the late Ashley Warren Taws ‘90, ‘93. Barrett, Lohren, Melone, Pugh, and Warren Taws played at the 1987 championship, while Barrett, Melone, Pugh, Russell Woody, and Warren Taws competed at the 1988 championship. Barrett (4), Warren Taws (4), Melone (3), and Pugh (2) combined to earn 13 All-America citations during their respective careers, while Barrett also claimed three Academic All-America accolades. Both Dr. Smith and Barrett were inducted into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame as members of the inaugural Class of 2005.