University of Tulsa coaching legend Dale McNamara passes
Above: Dale McNamara surrounded by the current University of Tulsa team at the recent Dale McNamara Invitational at Cedar Ridge Country Club.
TULSA, Okla. –– A pioneer in women’s collegiate golf and the most successful coach of any sport in history at The University of Tulsa, legendary coach Dale McNamara passed away in the early hours of Sunday morning succumbing to complications from her second battle with cancer. She was 86 and surrounded by her daughters, Cathy and Melissa, at the time of her death.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 3 p.m. on Nov. 28 at the Lorton Performance Arts Center on the University of Tulsa campus.
McNamara was the head coach of the Tulsa women’s golf program for 26 years (1974-2000) and developed Golden Hurricane golf into a national powerhouse.
Melissa and Dale McNamara“A fierce competitor, a caring coach and a Golden Hurricane through and through, Dale will always be remembered as a formidable force within collegiate women’s golf,” said TU President Brad R. Carson. “It is fitting for Dale to have lived to see the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which gave rise to the program she nurtured, as well as the 40th anniversary of the team’s historic win of two national championships. Our university and our city owe her a great deal of gratitude for putting Tulsa on the map just as women’s golf was gaining ground. She brought an immeasurable amount of acclaim to TU and continued to support our athletics programs for decades. We mourn this tremendous loss and send our sympathies to Dale’s family and friends.”
A native Tulsan, McNamara began her coaching career at TU as a volunteer coach in 1974 and quickly developed the start-up program into a national powerhouse with 81 career victories. In just her second season, she led the Hurricane women to a second-place finish at the AIAW National Championship.
Rick Dickson“We our heartbroken to learn about the passing of the matriarch of women’s golf at The University of Tulsa Dale McNamara. Our deepest sympathies go out to her daughters Cathy and Melissa and loved ones during this difficult. Dale was a trailblazer, beginning the women’s golf program at Tulsa in 1974 and quickly developing it into a national powerhouse. She made a huge impact on TU athletics, the campus, the Tulsa community and in the world of women’s collegiate golf,” said Vice President Director of Athletics Rick Dickson.
“I was fortunate enough to spend significant time with her at the Dale McNamara Invitational earlier this month and she was as effervescent and enthusiastic for TU and the game of golf as she’s ever been,” Dickson added. “Dale’s memory will live on in Tulsa athletics lore. She will be greatly missed.”
Under McNamara’s guidance, the TU women golfers annually ranked among the nation’s elite teams. She led Tulsa to 22 national tournament appearances and won four national titles, while finishing as national runners-up five times. McNamara’s teams won 81 tournaments and placed second better than 30 times. Three of her teams captured a school single-season record eight tournament wins, including in the 1976-77, 1983-84 and 1984-85 seasons.
Dale McNamara with daughter Melissa.She coached 28 first or second-team All-Americans and produced 32 professional golfers, including golfing great Nancy Lopez.
McNamara led TU to both the NCAA and AIAW titles in 1982, as well as the 1980 AIAW title and the 1988 NCAA championship. Three of her golfers also won national individual titles (Nancy Lopez, Kathy Baker and Melissa McNamara). The 1988 national tournament was extra special for McNamara as daughter, Melissa, was the NCAA medalist enroute to winning the team title
In 1985, McNamara was named the WGCA National Coach of the Year, as her team won eight of 13 tournaments and finished second at the NCAA tournament that season. She was also selected as the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year (1994, 1995) and the Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year (1998, 1999) twice each.
McNamara closed out her coaching career in the 1999-2000 season as the Golden Hurricane women won the Western Athletic Conference Championship and made yet another NCAA Championship appearance.
As an amateur player, McNamara won a then record seven Oklahoma State Amateur golf titles.
McNamara was active in the Tulsa community for many years, serving the Junior League, Gilcrease Museum and played a key role on the Tulsa Park Board.
In 1988, McNamara won perhaps the highest honor for a coach as she was inducted into the National Collegiate Golf Coaches Hall of Fame. She was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and was a recipient of the Jim Thorpe Association’s “Legends in Sports” award, both in 2003.
McNamara was inducted into the TU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame in 2006. Her daughter Melissa followed her into the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame in 2019.
McNamara was born on December 14, 1935 in Tulsa. The family will have a celebration of life for her in November with details to be announced. An endowment will also be established in her name at the University.
DALE McNAMARA HIGHLIGHTS @ TULSA
- Won four national championships – 1980 AIAW, 1982 AIAW, 1982 NCAA, 1988 NCAA.
- Her 1982 team won the final AIAW title and the first-ever NCAA Championship.
- Her teams also placed as the national runner-up five times – 1976, 1977, 1983, 1985, 1989
- Her recruitment of Nancy Lopez in 1975 helped set the standard for three decades of success at Tulsa.
- Coached 3 national individual champions – Nancy Lopez (1976), Kathy Baker (19882), Melissa McNamara (1988)
- Her 81 career victories still ranks fourth all-time nationally for career coaching wins.
- Her team’s 36-stroke victory in the inaugural NCAA Championship in 1982 still stands at the largest margin of victory for an NCAA Championship.
- She had five seasons with 6+ tournament wins, once with six (1975-76), once with seven (1981-82) and three times with eight wins (1976-77, 1983-84 and 1984-85) in a single season.
- She ranks in a second-place tie all-time in women’s collegiate golf for most seasons with 6+ wins with five, tying with UCLA’s Carrie Forsyth and behind first-place Mark Brooks of Duke (9).
- Had a school record six consecutive wins during the 1976-77 season.
- She was instrumental in bringing the NCAA National Championship to Tulsa and the Tulsa Country Club for the first time in 1999.
- In just seven years competing in a conference, she was named the conference coach of the year four times (1994, 1995, 1998, 1999).
- In her 26-year tenure, Tulsa teams made 22 national championship appearances and finished in the top-10 21 times and among the top-5 13 times.
- She coached 28 first or second-team All-Americans and 32 players went onto play professionally.
- Was inducted into the National Collegiate Golf Coaches Hall of Fame in 1988.
- Inducted into the TU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Women’s Oklahoma Golf Association (WOGA) Hall of Fame in 2006.
DALE McNAMARA SEASON RECAP AT TULSA
Tourn Conference Natl. Natl. Team Top National
Year Wins Finish Appearance Place Individual Place
1974-75 0 n/a n/a n/a n/a
1975-76 6 n/a AIAW 2nd Nancy Lopez, 1st
1976-77 8 n/a AIAW 2nd Nancy Lopez, 2nd
1977-78 0 n/a AIAW 8th Holly Hartley, 3th
1978-79 1 n/a AIAW 3rd Carolyn Hill, 2nd
1979-80 5 n/a AIAW 1st Sharon Barrett, 6th; Kathy Baker, 6th
1980-81 1 n/a AIAW 4th Dee Dee Lasker, 11th
1981-82 7 n/a AIAW 1st Kathy Baker, 9th
NCAA 1st Kathy Baker, 1st
1982-83 3 n/a NCAA 2nd Jody Rosenthal, 3rd
1983-84 7 n/a NCAA 6th Diane Dickman, 18th
1984-85 8 n/a NCAA 2nd Jody Rosenthal, 2nd
1985-86 4 n/a NCAA 5th Adele Lukken, 17th
1986-87 0 n/a Individual performance by Melissa McNamara
1987-88 4 n/a NCAA 1st Melissa McNamara, 1st
1988-89 2 n/a NCAA 2nd Cathy Mockett, 6th
1989-90 4 n/a NCAA 5th Kelly Robbins, 18th
1990-91 1 n/a NCAA 9th Kelly Robbins, 3rd
1991-92 2 n/a individual performances by Terri Thompson & Sofie Eriksson
1992-93 1 n/a no participation due to NCAA track probation
1993-94* 3 1st/MVC NCAA 9th Maria Brink, 19th
1994-95 3 1st/MVC West Regional 13th Sara Beautell, 25th
1995-96 2 1st/MVC NCAA 10th Niina Laitinen, 19th
1996-97 1 2nd/WAC NCAA 8th Niina Laitinen, 8th
1997-98 4 2nd/WAC NCAA 6th Christina Kuld, 2nd
1998-99 2 1st/WAC NCAA 6th Stacy Prammanasudh, 12th
1999-00 2 1st/WAC NCAA 16th Stacy Prammanasudh, 7th
*The 1993-94 season was the first year that Tulsa was a member of a conference.
TULSA GOLF YEAR-BY YEAR UNDER DALE McNAMARA
1974-75
Dale McNamara becomes the TU head coach on a volunteer basis. Tulsa won the Kansas Invitational, which was only the second tournament ever entered. Brenda Moyers took medalist honors at the Kansas Invitational.
TEAM MEMBERS: Brenda Moyers, Judy Grayston, Terri Streck, and Lindsay Wetzel.
1975-76 AIAW NATIONAL RUNNERS-UP
Top junior golfer Nancy Lopez signs with Tulsa. TU wins six of nine tournaments with Lopez taking medalist honors six times. The Hurricane placed second in AIAW National tournament with Lopez winning the national championship.
TEAM MEMBERS: Nancy Lopez, Nancy Aaronson, Cathy Reynolds, Lisa Perkinson, Lindsay Wetzel, Brenda Moyers, and Terri Streck.
1976-77 AIAW NATIONAL RUNNERS-UP
Tulsa wins seven of 10 tournaments. TU places second in the AIAW National tournament for the second straight year. Lopez took medalist honors in five tournaments and placed second at the AIAW tournament. Lopez turned professional after her sophomore season.
TEAM MEMBERS: Nancy Lopez, Brenda Moyers, Nancy Aaronson, Dayna Benson, Cathy Reynolds, Lauren Howe, Terri Streck, Holly Hartley.
1977-78
TU’s best finish of the year was a second-place finish at the Susie Maxwell-Berning tournament. Holly Hartley was Tulsa’s low finisher is seven of nine tourneys. The Hurricane rallied to place eighth at the AIAW National Championship with Hartley placing fourth.
TEAM MEMBERS: Nancy Aaronson, Holly Hartley, Dee Dee Lasker, Terri Streck, Brenda Moyers, Mari McDougall, Laura Hurlbut.
1978-79
Tulsa’s lone tournament victory was the Betsy Rawls Invitational with Carolyn Hill taking medalist honors. Hill took medalist honors at the Tucker Invitational, while Holly Hartley placed first at the Texas A&M Women’s Invitational. TU placed third at six tournaments including the AIAW National Championship. Hill placed second and LuLong Hartley seventh at the AIAW tournament.
TEAM MEMBERS: Carolyn Hill, LuLong Hartley, Dee Dee Lasker, Holly Hartley, Lori Castillo, Linda Brown, Laura Hurlbut, Mari McDougall.
1979-80 AIAW NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
TU wins first four tournaments of the year, while freshman sensation Sharon Barrett had first place finishes in Tulsa’s first five tournaments. TU placed second twice and won the school’s first-ever national championship, winning the AIAW title behind Barrett and fellow freshman Kathy Baker’s sixth place finishes.
TEAM MEMBERS: Kathy Baker, Sharon Barrett, Dee Dee Lasker, LuLong Hartley, Lori Castillo, Mari McDougall.
1980-81
Tulsa’s only tournament victory was at its own Nancy Lopez Invitational as Barb Thomas took medalist honors. Tulsa placed fourth at the AIAW National Championship as Dee Dee Lasker finished 11th. TU had three second and third place finishes throughout the year.
TEAM MEMBERS: Kathy Baker, Dee Dee Lasker, LuLong Hartley, Colleen Binkiewicz, Barb Thomas, Tammy Welborn, Marna White.
1981-82 NCAA CHAMPIONS • AIAW NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Winners of five regular season tournaments as well as the AIAW and NCAA National Championships, Tulsa placed an individual in the top ten in all 12 tournaments. TU won a third consecutive Nancy Lopez Invitational. Kathy Baker was the medalist at the NCAA tournament and placed ninth at the AIAW tournament, while freshman Jody Rosenthal placed second and Barb Thomas third at the NCAA tournament.
TEAM MEMBERS: Kathy Baker, LuLong Hartley, Dee Dee Lasker, Holley Morris, Jody Rosenthal, Colleen Binkiewicz, Antonella Manuli, Barb Thomas, Tammy Welborn, Marna White.
1982-83 NCAA RUNNERS-UP
TU placed second at the NCAA championship with Jody Rosenthal placing third. TU placed first in three tournaments, second in two, and third at five tourneys. Tulsa won a fourth straight Nancy Lopez Invitational. TU had an individual place in the top 10 in all 11 tourneys.
TEAM MEMBERS: Kathy Baker, Colleen Binkiewicz, Patty Atkins, Diane Dickman, Holley Morris, Jody Rosenthal, Antonella Manuli, Barb Thomas, Tammy Welborn.
1983-84
Won seven titles in eleven outings. Tulsa ranked number one in the nation for most of the year according to the NCAA computer rankings. Frosh Kim Gardner took medalist honors in two tournaments, while Rosenthal also won two tournament titles. TU placed sixth at the NCAA tourney with sophomore Diane Dickman placing in a tie for 18th.
TEAM MEMBERS: Nancy Callan, Diane Dickman, Kim Gardner, Adele Lukken, Holley Morris, Jody Rosenthal, Tammy Welborn.
1984-85
Captured eight tournament titles in 13 outings. TU had six individual first-place finishes, three individual second place finishes, and three individual third place finishes. TU freshmen Carey Ruffer and Melissa McNamara won back-to-back titles. Ruffer won her first tournament (Cowgirl Invitational), while McNamara won the second tournament of the year (Nancy Lopez Invitational). Jody Rosenthal took medalist honors in four out of five spring tournaments. She led TU to a second-place finish in the NCAA Championship as she placed second individually.
TEAM MEMBERS: Nancy Callan, Diane Dickman, Kim Gardner, Adele Lukken, Melissa McNamara, Holley Morris, Jody Rosenthal, Carey Ruffer
1985-86
The TU women captured two out of three fall tournaments and continued on a roll in the spring with two first place finishes in the first three tournaments. The Hurricane was ranked number one in the nation for most of the year, but finished fifth in the NCAA Championship.
TEAM MEMBERS: Adele Lukken, Diane Dickman, Melissa McNamara, Carey Ruffer, Margaret Kelt, Joan Pitcock, Kim Gardner.
1986-87
Tulsa had to go through the spring season with only four golfers, as junior Carey Ruffer suffered an injury to her elbow. The best finish of the season for the TU golfers was second place in Tulsa’s own Nancy Lopez Invitational during the fall season. Ruffer, who played in all four fall tournaments, finished tied for third in the Lopez, while Melissa McNamara placed sixth individually. The best spring finish for the Hurricane was sixth place at the Women’s Southern Intercollegiate. McNamara and U.S. International’s Laurette Maritz shared medalist honors at the Women’s Southern. McNamara finished the year with seven top 10 finishes in 10 tournaments and represented Tulsa at the NCAA Championship.
TEAM MEMBERS: Margaret Kelt, Blue Kinander, Melissa McNamara, Carey Ruffer, Cathy Stevens.
1987-88 NCAA CHAMPIONS
Tulsa won the national championship with a record nine-under par 1,175. Senior Melissa McNamara was the individual medalist with a nine-under 287 for the four-day event. In addition, the Hurricane won three in-season tournament titles and placed second three times as well during the season. Junior Margaret Kelt won medalist honors at the Stanford Intercollegiate. The addition of freshmen Caryn Louw and Kelly Robbins strengthened the TU squad and made Tulsa a contender for the national championship. TEAM MEMBERS: Margaret Kelt, Blue Kinander, Caryn Louw, Melissa McNamara, Kelly Robbins, Kelli Ross.
1988-89 NCAA RUNNERS-UP
Tulsa was one hole from winning a second straight NCAA national championship. Tulsa placed second at the NCAA event behind San Jose State. Southern Cal transfer Cathy Mockett, a junior, placed sixth at the NCAA Championship. During the season, Tulsa placed in the top three in nine of 10 tournaments. The Hurricane won their own PING Tour Tulsa and the Lady Gator Invitational. Mockett had five top-10 performances on the season, while senior Margaret Kelt and sophomores Caryn Louw and Kelly Robbins had two top 10 finishes apiece. As a team, the women golfers had a combined 3.4 grade point average as well as placing second in the country in golf.
TEAM MEMBERS: Margaret Kelt, Blue Kinander, Cathy Mockett, Caryn Louw, Kelly Robbins, Dana Chase, Lisa Del Prete, Michelle Malkin.
1989-90
Tulsa placed fifth at the NCAA Championship. The Hurricane landed Kelly Robbins on the first-team All-America squad as Cathy Mockett and Carin Hjalmarsson earned second-team honors. Tulsa began the season with three straight tournament wins in the fall, including the Dick McGuire Invitational, PING Tour Tulsa, and the Pat Bradley Invitational. The Hurricane began the fall with another first-place finish at the OSU Guadalajara Intercollegiate. Tulsa’s Kelly Robbins placed in the top 10 in nine of Tulsa’s 10 tournaments, including medalist honors at the Dick McGuire Invitational and the Lady Sun Devil Invitational. Senior Blue Kinander finished first at the Pat Bradley Invitational. Fellow senior Cathy Mockett had nine top 20 finishes during the year, including five top 10 finishes. Robbins and Mockett were ranked second and third in the nation for most of the season, while freshman Carin Hjalmarsson was ranked in the top 20 in the nation for most of the year as well.
TEAM MEMBERS: Lisa Del Prete, Carin Hjalmarsson, Blue Kinander, Michelle Malkin, Cathy Mockett, Kelly Robbins, Angie Wilson.
1990-91
Tulsa was led by senior All-American Kelly Robbins with three first place finishes, while the team was ranked 11th nationally in the NCAA computer ratings at the end of the regular season. Tulsa placed ninth at the NCAA Championship as Robbins captured third place honors. Robbins, who finished in the top 15 in all 11 tournaments, won medalist honors at the PING Tour Tulsa, OSU Guadalajara Intercollegiate and the Lady Sun Devil Invitational. She placed in the top three in seven tournaments. Sophomores Terri Thompson, a transfer from USC, and Carin Hjalmarsson had 10 and seven top-20 finishes, respectively. Tulsa’s only tournament win was at their own PING Tour Tulsa, while finishing in the top five in eight of the remaining 10 tournaments. Robbins earned first-team All-America honors, while Thompson was named to the honorable mention squad. Sophomores Carin Hjalmarsson and Angie Wilson earned Academic All-America honors.
TEAM MEMBERS: Lisa Del Prete, Carin Hjalmarsson, Kelly Robbins, Terri Thompson, Angie Wilson.
1991-92
Tulsa had their ups and downs in the 1991-92 season. The Hurricane won two tournament titles, including the Golf World/Palmetto Dunes Collegiate in the fall season and the OSU Guadalajara Intercollegiate in the spring. What makes the spring tournament win so surprising was that the Hurricane women did it without one of their leaders from the fall, Carin Hjalmarsson, who left school to return home to her native Sweden. Freshman Sofie Eriksson and junior Terri Thompson carried the load for the TU women most of the season. Eriksson became the first freshman since Carey Ruffer and Melissa McNamara in 1984-85 to win medalist honors in a tournament, as she captured the individual title at the Betsy Rawls Longhorn Classic. She had eight top 15 finishes out of 10 regular season tournaments. Thompson’s best performance was third place at the Golf World/Palmetto Dunes Invitational. Thompson had seven top 20 finishes on the year.
TEAM MEMBERS: Lisa Del Prete, Sofie Eriksson, Carin Hjalmarsson, Amy Root, Amanda Seward, Terri Thompson, Angie Wilson (*Hjalmarsson left school after the fall semester to return to her native Sweden and turn professional).
1992-93
Due to the University’s athletic program being placed on probation for violations in the track & field program, the Hurricane women were prevented from competing at the NCAA tournament. Despite that, the Tulsa women again were nationally ranked. Tulsa placed in the top five in four fall tournaments and began the spring season with a first-place finish at the Lady Gator Invitational. Individually, sophomore Sofie Eriksson placed in the top 10 in seven of nine tournaments and was selected as a second-team All-America performer. A pair of freshmen Maria Brink and April Packham had top 20 finishes in four and six tournaments, respectively. In the second semester, transfer Lisa Cornwell, cousin of U.S. President Bill Clinton, came on board and had two top 30 finishes in four spring tournaments. Eriksson, Brink and Packham all represented Tulsa as individuals at the NCAA West Regional.
TEAM MEMBERS: Maria Brink, Lisa Cornwell (enrolled for 2nd semester), Lisa Del Prete, Sofie Eriksson, Michele Gard, April Packham, Alejandra Partearroyo, Laurie Robbins (left school after 1st semester), Amanda Seward, Angie Wilson.
1993-94
After being absent from the NCAA Championship the past two years, the Tulsa golfers placed 9th at the NCAA event, after finishing 9th at the NCAA West Region to qualify for the national tournament. With just five golfers available throughout the season, Tulsa garnered three tournament championships, including the UCLA Pioneer Electronic Classic, Golfsmith Betsy Rawls Classic and the Missouri Valley Conference Championship. This was the first year for competition at the MVC tournament, and in addition to the team title, Tulsa also took first, second and fifth place individually with Maria Brink and Sofie Eriksson placing one-two and April Packham coming in fifth place. Dale McNamara was selected as the MVC Coach of the Year. Individually, Eriksson won medalist honors at the Golfsmith/Betsy Rawls Classic, while Brink won the medalist title at that UCLA Pioneer Classic and MVC Championship.
TEAM MEMBERS: Maria Brink, Sofie Eriksson, April Packham, Alejandra Partearroyo, Amanda Seward
1994-95
Tulsa came out of the gates solidly in 1994-95 with a first-, second- and third-place finish in three of the first four tournaments. Tulsa captured titleist honors at the prestigious Golf World/ Palmetto Dunes Classic to close out the fall season. Tulsa’s other tournament crown came at the Missouri Valley Conference Championship, where the Hurricane won by 67 strokes. Other top team performances were second place at the Washington Edean Ihahfeldt Invitational and the UCLA Bruin Classic. The Hurricane failed to qualify for the NCAA Championship with a 13th place showing at the NCAA West Regional. Tulsa senior Sofie Eriksson garnered first-team All-America honors and was also a first-team Academic All-America selection.
TEAM MEMBERS: Sara Beautell, Maria Brink, Sofie Eriksson, Betsy Mueller, April Packham, Alejandra Partearroyo, Lisa Penske
1995-96
In the last year as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, a league dominated by the TU women for the four years in which the conference sponsored women’s sports, Tulsa once again ran away with the MVC title. In addition to that one crown, Tulsa also won the Liz Murphey Intercollegiate as Sara Beautell led the way with a second-place performance. At the MVC Championship, Tulsa finished first through fifth place in the individual race, as freshman Filippa Helmersson grabbed medalist honors. Tulsa had a solid third place outing at the NCAA West Regional, before finishing 10th at the NCAA Championship.
TEAM MEMBERS: Sara Beautell, Niina Laitinen, April Packham, Alejandra Partearroyo (first semester only), Lisa Penske, Filippa Helmersson, Jeannie Conard
1996-97
In the first year as a member of the Western Athletic Conference, the Tulsa women’s golf team proved that they would be a stable force in the league. The Hurricane finished second behind fellow national powerhouse San Jose State. Four of five Tulsa golfers placed among the top-11 at the WAC Championship. Tulsa placed among the top-5 seven times in 10 outings including a season-best first place performance at the UCLA Bruin Classic, as junior Lisa Penske captured individual medalist honors. Tulsa qualified for the NCAA Championship with an eighth-place finish in a field of 20 teams at the West Regional, while also placing eighth at the NCAA Championship. Niina Laitinen led the way at nationals with a ninth place showing, while freshman Christina Kuld placed 16th overall.
TEAM MEMBERS: Filippa Helmersson, Christina Kuld, Niina Laitinen, Lisa Penske, Stacy Rambin, Robin Suttle (first semester only).
1997-98
Tulsa was the team medalist four times, winning the team titles at the Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational, OSU/SMU Regional Challenge, Pioneer Bruin Classic and the Rainbow Wahine Invitational. Three Tulsa players captured individual medalist honors as Christina Kuld won the Edean Ihlanfeldt title, Filippa Helmersson won the Regional Challenge crown and Niina Laitinen was crowned the WAC Championship medalist. Tulsa split time between Arizona and Arizona State as the nation’s number one-ranked team according to the MasterCard Collegiate Rankings. Tulsa finished the season sixth at the NCAA Championship, while Christina Kuld placed runner-up in the individual race at the NCAA event.
TEAM MEMBERS: Coutrney Brosang, Cecilia Ekelundh, Filippa Helmersson, Christina Kuld, Niina Laitinen, Lisa Penske, Stacy Rambin
1998-99
Tulsa, ranked fourth most of the season in the MasterCard Collegiate Rankings, placed either first or second in five tournaments and finished among the top-5 in all but one event. Senior Niina Laitinen and freshman sensation Stacy Prammanasudh, both first-team Western Athletic Conference performers, led the way for the Hurricane. Prammanasudh placed among the top-20 in all 10 tournaments, while Laitinen had the most victories for any TU golfer – 3 – since the 1990-91 campaign. Laitinen won the Bama Fall Preview, San Jose State Spartan Invitational and her second straight WAC title. Prammanasudh came onto the scene quickly winning in just her third collegiate tournament. She was ranked as the No. 1 golfer in the nation in early March, while staying among the nation’s top-5 golfers along with teammate Laitinen the entire spring season. An early season wake-up call hit the Hurricane when junior Stacy Rambin was diagnosed with a brain tumor. On Sept. 6, the tumor was removed and found to be benign. Rambin was back on the course competitively within two months, playing in Tulsa’s final seven tournaments. Prammanasudh was named the WAC Freshman of the Year, while Dale McNamara earned Coach of the Year honors in the league. Tulsa, hosting the NCAA Championship at Tulsa Country Club, entered the event ranked sixth nationally, and finished in sixth place. Prammanasudh placed 12th and Rambin finished in 15th place at the NCAA Championships. Prammanasudh was named first -team All-America, while Laitinen was a second-team selection.
TEAM MEMBERS: Courtney Brosang, Filippa Helmersson, Dani Mallon, Niina Laitinen, Stacy Prammanasudh, Stacy Rambin.
1999-2000
It was the final season in the 26-year career for legendary coach Dale McNamara. Tulsa won two tournament titles – the Stanford-Pepsi Intercollegiate and the Western Athletic Conference. Although two seniors were on the squad, Tulsa fielded a rather young team in 1999-2000. Of the seniors Stacy Rambin was a three-year letterwinner, while fellow senior Courtney Brosang had little top-level collegiate experience. Sophomore sensation Stacy Prammanasudh ranked among the top-six in the nation the entire 1999-2000 campaign. She placed among the top-20 in 10 of 11 tournaments and the top-5 in six tournaments. Prammanasudh was named the WAC Player of the Year, while fellow sophomore Dani Mallon and Rambin also claimed all-conference honors. Tulsa placed 16th at the NCAA Championships, while Prammanasudh finished seventh overall. For the second straight year, Prammanasudh earned first-team All-America honors.
TEAM MEMBERS: Courtney Brosang, Laura Dillon, Dani Mallon, Stacy Prammanasudh, Stacy Rambin, Maiko Senda, Samantha Thomas.
SUMMARY OF WINS UNDER DALE McNAMARA
MOST TEAM WINS IN A SEASON
8 – Tulsa, 1976-77, Dale McNamara
8 – Tulsa, 1983-84, Dale McNamara
8 – Tulsa, 1984-85, Dale McNamara
7 – Tulsa, 1981-82, Dale McNamara
6 – Tulsa, 1975-76, Dale McNamara
5 – Tulsa, 1979-80, Dale McNamara
CONSECUTIVE WINS BY A TEAM
6 – 1976-77, Dale McNamara
5 – 1983-84, Dale McNamara
4 – 1979-80, Dale McNamara
3 – 1981-82, Dale McNamara
3 – 1989-90, Dale McNamara
LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY
36 – Tulsa – 1982 NCAA Championship