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Senior Stephanie Connelly had the type of final season that any athlete would like her senior year.
The Pasadena, Md., native finished tied for 11th at the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships.
She finished the four-day championship with a 9-over par 297 at the par-72, 6,443-yard Caves Valley Golf Club.
UCF head coach Emilee Klein said she was pleased with how Connelly ended her career.
“I’m very proud of her. She played solid ball all week,” Klein said. “She really started playing well at regionals, which is where she finished second going into the qualifying, and put together a very strong performance at nationals and finished her college career with a bang.”
Connelly began her collegiate career in Columbus, Ohio, at Ohio State University but a change in climate was on her mind, and she transferred to UCF.
“I needed to get to warm weather and be able to practice all year,” Connelly said.
Connelly, who spent the last semester of high school at the IMG Academies in Bradenton, said that as an only child she always felt independent, which allowed her to be able to be away from home for a semester in high school.
“I have wanted to go do things on my own, make new friends and things like that,” Connelly said. “I don’t think it was that tough. I always talked to my parents every day, even in college, so that wasn’t so much as hard for me.
“It definitely prepared me for a college schedule, because at the academy, you either do your sport in the morning time. For college athletes, we either have morning classes and afternoon practice or do a morning practice and afternoon classes.”
Connelly credits the academy for preparing her for the college schedule and being able to get into a routine. Instead of being chaotic, she had it down and was disciplined with the balance of academic and athletics.
Her success at UCF has increased with each season that she had under her belt. Last season she was one of four Knights named All-Conference USA. Connelly was on the second team.
This season she led the Knights at the NCAA East Regional, which was hosted by the University of Florida.
As a squad the Knights finished 17th, shooting a 69-over-par 909. Connelly shot a career-low 68 in the final round.
Her performance earned her a spot in the NCAA Championships.
It was the eighth appearance overall and second consecutive time the Knights played in the NCAA Regionals.
The 1996 squad advanced to the NCAA Championships.
The NCAA Championship was a homecoming of sorts for Connelly.
The tournament was played in Owings Mills, Md., about 30 miles from her hometown.
“It was amazing, it was a lot of fun,” Connelly said of playing near home. “A lot of people came to watch. My aunt and uncle were there every day with my parents.”
With the home-field advantage Connelly felt honored to participate. From the get-go she was among the best.
On May 20 after two rounds of play she was tied for sixth. She was fifth heading into the final round before eventually finishing tied for 11th out of 126 participants in the championships.
Life after college for Connelly now turns to her professional career.
She is participating in the Duramed Futures’ Tour, the developmental tour for the Ladies Professional Golf Association.
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