2011-12 Year in Review

Women's Golf

5th Place Big Ten Championships

In 2011-12, Illinois earned a berth to regionals for the second year in a row and fourth time in school history, tying for 14th at the NCAA West Regional. The Illini placed fifth at the Big Ten Championships, which was the program's best finish since 2002 and top showing at the conference tournament under head coach Renee Slone. The Orange and Blue also won a team title to start off the spring and recorded eight top-five team finishes.

The Illini twice set the team school record for a 54-hole tournament total and turned in the top two individual tournament and team single round performances in school history. Illinois shattered the school's 54-hole tournament record by 22 strokes after shooting an 853 (-11) to win the Westbrook Spring Invitational, where they also notched the top two single rounds in program history with a 282 (-6) and 283 (-5). The Illini originally set the school record at the first tournament of the fall with an 875 (+11) at the Ptarmigan Ram Classic. Senior Nora Lucas broke the school's individual 54-hole tournament record with career-best 205 (-11) to earn medalist honors at the Westbrook Invite, while senior Hailey Koschmann turned in the second-best total with a career-low 210 (-6).

Three Illini earned Big Ten Golfer of the Week honors this spring. Senior Samantha Sloan was awarded the title after her performance at the season-opening Illinois Challenge, where she won all of her four-ball and individual matches. Lucas nabbed the honor after her performance at the Westbrook Spring Invitational, and senior Katelin Dilger received the award after the Eagle Landing Invitational.

Four Illinois players and one signee were selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft June 4-6, 2012, with junior pitcher Matt Milroy being the first Illini picked when the Miami Marlins drafted him in the 11th round. Senior outfielder Willie Argo was next, as the Tampa Bay Rays selected him in the 22nd round, and redshirt-sophomore Jordan Parr was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 26th round. Junior pitcher Kevin Johnson was selected by the New York Yankees in the 31st round and incoming right-handed pitcher Ryan Castellanos was a 34th-round pick by the Chicago White Sox. Milroy and Argo signed professional contracts, while Parr, Johnson and Castellanos all will play for the Illini in 2013.