April 29, 2008

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Kansas sophomore Emily Powers has qualified as an individual to compete in the NCAA Women's Golf West Regional.  Powers will play in the event at Lincoln, Calif., May 8-10.

Powers is one of three individuals who will play in the West Regional as she joins Mallory Blackwelder of Kentucky and Danielle Cvitanov of San Francisco at the Lincoln Hills Golf Club.

Twenty one teams and three individuals have qualified for each of the three regionals.  Eight teams and two individuals from each regional will advance to the NCAA Championships, which will be held at Albuquerque, N.M., May 20-23.  The individuals who advance are the top finishers not on one of the qualifying teams.

Powers, from Quincy, Ill., has been KU's top golfer all season, leading the team with a 75.53 scoring average while playing in all 11 events.  She has been the Jayhawks' top finisher in eight of the 11 tournaments, including each of the last three contests.

Powers has five top-10 finishes as well as eight top-15 finishes on the season.  Her best finish this season was a tie for second at the Kitahara Inviational in Fresno, Calif., Feb. 25-26.  Powers most recently tied for 29^th overall at the Big 12 Championship.

Powers became the second Jayhawk in the last three years to qualify for the NCAA Regionals as an individual, joining Amanda Costner, who played in the Central Regional in the 2006 season.