OCU’s Gough, Eckert, McCoy land NAIA All-America honors
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Oklahoma City University’s Rachel Eckert, Natalie Gough and McKenzie McCoy landed NAIA women’s golf all-American honors.
Gough, a junior from Bixby, Okla., became a three-time all-American by snaring first-team acclaim. Eckert and McCoy made the third team.
In 2020-21, Gough delivered a 76.38 scoring average in 16 rounds. Gough took Sooner Athletic Conference player of the year and all-tournament in the SAC Championships on April 26-27 at Dornick Hills Golf & Country Club in Ardmore, Okla., and the NAIA Championships on May 25-28 at Rose Creek Golf Club in Edmond, Okla. She notched two SAC golfer of the week awards.
On March 29-30, Gough grabbed her second career victory in the Texas Showdown at Cedar Crest Golf Club in Dallas, sparking a run of three consecutive top-three finishes, including third in the league tournament. She shot her top round of the season of 37-34–71 to secure the victory. Gough posted her first top-10 finish in the national tournament (ninth).
Gough has taken a second-team NAIA all-American honor, an honorable-mention Women’s Golf Coaches Association all-American acclaim, two SAC golfer of the year accolades, three all-conference honors and three league player of the week nods in her OCU career. Her stroke average stands at 76.40 as a Star.
Eckert, a junior from Bixby, Okla., turned in 80.33 shots per 18 holes over 21 rounds this season. Eckert posted four top-10 finishes, including her career-best showing of fifth place in the Southern Plains Intercollegiate on Sept. 14-15 at Gaillardia Country Club in Oklahoma City. She carded her top career round of 74 three times this season. Eckert has supplied OCU with an 80.28 scoring average over her career.
McCoy, a senior from Beggs, Okla., produced a 79.81 stroke average through 21 rounds in 2020-21. McCoy came through with three top-10 showings, collecting the finest finish of her career in the Southern Plains Intercollegiate (fourth). She shot her season-best round of 40-33–73 in the first round of the NAIA Championships. McCoy’s career scoring average is 80.52.
The Stars placed fourth in the NAIA Championships for the 15th top-five national finish in program history. OCU nabbed three victories and two second-place finishes in nine starts this season. Oklahoma City has won eight national championships in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014 and 2017.