Final 2023 GPAC Championships Results
SPENCER, Iowa – On the final day of the 2023 GPAC Women’s Golf Championship, featuring the closing round of the event, Concordia University Women’s Golf held in 10th place while carding a score of 368 on Tuesday (May 2). All three rounds of the conference tournament were held at Spencer Golf and Country Club in Spencer, Iowa, where the windy conditions resulted in higher scores than the norm. While wrapping up her collegiate career, Lauren Havlat paced the Bulldogs with an 87 in round three.
Head Coach Brett Muller’s squad completed the GPAC Championships with a total of 365-372-368–1,105. Concordia managed to beat out in-state rivals Doane (1,211) and Midland (1,415). Meanwhile, Briar Cliff claimed the GPAC team title and Morningside’s Sofia Castelan captured the individual crown.
“The last two days may be the strongest sustained winds we’ve competed in since I’ve coached,” Muller said. “Over three rounds and there are only two scores in the seventies shows how tough the conditions were. After the first 18, we were tied for seventh and only 14 shots from the lead. We really struggled in the second round and fell back to 10th. I thought today we had a chance to move up a few spots but struggled to finish. I’m proud of our three seniors, Lauren, Logan (Eschliman) and Ashley (Gerczynski), for their contributions to the Bulldogs over their four seasons.”
The Norris High School alum Havlat battled the winds for a solid conclusion to her career. An Honorable Mention All-GPAC selection in 2022, Havlat moved up to 17th on the final individual leaderboard with a three-round total of 88-94-87–269. Havlat accumulated 19 pars and one birdie throughout the tournament. In her first experience at the GPAC tournament, freshman Emery Custer followed Havlat with a 25th-place claim with her score of 88-91-93–272. Two others in the lineup competed in all three GPAC rounds: Eschliman (90-91-96–277; T-30th) and junior Mya Nurse (99-96-92–287; T-40th). Finally, Gerczynski and Sarah Wilson shared the No. 5 spot in the lineup. Gerczynski carded rounds of 102 and 104, respectively, while Wilson posted a 111 in round two of the tournament.
Each of the seniors were part of Bulldog squads that placed third in the GPAC in both 2020 and 2021. Havlat improved tremendously throughout her career, as she cut her 18-hole average from 95.3 as a freshman to 87.5 as a senior. The 2022-23 season saw a close race for the top season average on the team as Custer (87.3) edged Havlat (87.5). The team’s final season average came in at 359.1. The Broken Bow High School alum Custer figures to anchor the 2023-24 lineup.
Concordia GPAC Championship Scores
TEAM: 365-372-368–1,105 (+241)
T17. Lauren Havlat: 88-94-87–269
T25. Emery Custer: 88-91-93–272
T30. Logan Eschliman: 90-91-96–277
T40. Mya Nurse: 99-96-92–287
Ashley Gerczynski: 102-NA-104
Sarah Wilson: NA-111-NA