Little Rock won the Ohio Valley Conference Women’s Golf Championship on Apr. 21 with a wire-to-wire performance at Dalton Golf and Country Club, finishing with a score of +52 (875) to secure a 19-shot victory over Morehead State.
The victory highlights Little Rock’s dominance throughout the tournament, as the team led from start to finish and placed four golfers inside the top eight. The win also earns Little Rock an automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals.
Head coach Jenna Birch said, “This group showed what they’ve been capable of all season. They stayed patient, trusted the process and didn’t let anything speed them up. To go wire-to-wire in a championship says a lot about their mindset.” Birch was named Bobby Nichols OVC Coach of the Year after guiding her team to victory.
Junior Eleonore Aernouts led Little Rock by claiming medalist honors at +6 after shooting an even-par final round of 72. She was recognized as OVC Player of the Year and named Most Valuable Player for the tournament. “I’m really proud of how we competed this week,” Aernouts said. “We stayed patient and trusted what we’ve been working on all season. To see it all come together at the conference championship means a lot, especially doing it with this group.” She added, “We knew if we stayed disciplined and played our game, we’d be in a good position. Everyone contributed, and that’s what made this win so special.” Birch said about Aernouts: “She’s been our rock… Eleonore just continues to show up in big moments and lead by example. That consistency is what separates her.”
Teammate Iara Martin finished second individually after shooting one-under-par (71) in her final round for an overall score of +11; Cloe Poizac took third place at +16; Fehild Graesel tied for eighth at +19; Elvira Flodstrom rounded out scoring with a sixteenth-place finish (+27). Birch said about Martin: “Iara was outstanding today… To go under par in the final round of a championship and push herself up the leaderboard like that is huge.” On team depth she added: “It just speaks to our depth… When you have multiple players in contention like that, it creates a lot of confidence across the lineup.”
Morehead State finished second (+71), followed by Tennessee Tech (+79). Postseason honors included Freshman Morgan Kennedy (Morehead State) earning OVC Freshman of the Year.
Looking ahead, Little Rock will compete next at NCAA Regionals as they aim to continue their strong play on a national stage.
