Notre Dame took to Grandover Resort & Conference Center East Course this past weekend in Greensboro, North Carolina, for the 2018 ACC championship. The team competed in the three-round tournament from Saturday through Monday, with its best round — a 6-over 294 — coming in Monday’s final round. The Irish preceded that score by posting a 12-over 300 and 16-over 304 on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. After a collective score of 34-over 898 in the tournament, the Irish placed 10th in the championship and now wait to see if they will be invited to the NCAA regionals.
Irish head coach Susan Holt said she was pleased with the individual play of junior Emma Albrecht and freshman Abby Heck, praising their consistency throughout the weekend. Albrecht shot a 2-over 74 and a pair of 1-over 73s in her three rounds over the weekend, while Heck carded two 6-over 78s and a 5-over 77 in her first ACC championship. Holt said she was also pleased by the final round performances of sophomore Mia Ayer and junior Isabella DiLisio, as they scored a 1-over 73 and even-par 72 round, respectively.
“We had some really good individual performances,” Holt said. “Emma and Abby played really well, consistent throughout the whole event, which was great to see. Mia had a big round [Monday]. Isabella had a big round [Monday].”
Despite the strong final-round performance by the Irish, much was left to be desired from the team during the first two rounds, Holt said, as she acknowledged that her team was unable to deliver a consistent three-round showing.
“We just couldn’t get four rounds each day, with the exception of [Monday’s final round],” she said. “In that kind of competition, we needed to show up all three days. First round, at one point we were in fifth place, and at one point we were fifth place in the final round. We just weren’t able to hang on. It was super competitive, lots of good teams. We just didn’t hang in there.”
With the postseason uncertain, the Irish are now at the mercy of a selection committee, as the team’s future will be announced Wednesday when NCAA regional selections are revealed. Holt said she remains hopeful her team will make it to regionals, and she still believes her team has what it takes to advance further into the postseason.
“Overall, we got some good rounds and good production [in the ACC championship],” Holt said. “Just looking forward to [continuing] to keep playing in the postseason and take some of that confidence from this past weekend into the postseason. Hopefully, we can put it all together. If this team does that, we’re making the next round, I think.”
With the Irish now at the end of the regular season, next year’s season will likely be in the back of their mind. The Irish have finished the recruiting process for the next three years and will not be graduating any of their top-five players this year. Albrecht and junior Maddie Rose Hamilton, who both finished in the top 25 as individuals this past weekend, will return and be looked upon as leaders to spearhead a seasoned Irish team, Holt said.
“Emma, she’s been our top most consistent player all year. Her stroke average is just over 72 and, well, par is 72 — she’s shooting on par with how she plays,” Holt said. “Maddie Hamilton [is also a team leader]. They’re both really young and have been very consistent for us all year, a large part of our success. They’re two juniors that have played in every single tournament since day one. They have a lot of experience, and they’re competitors. They compete and they work hard. They bring a lot to the table.”
The Irish will find out their NCAA regional fate Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. when the selections are announced.
