Contact: Alex Mielcarz, Athletics Communication Graduate Assistant, ajmielcarz@noctrl.edu

METAMORA, Ill. (Oct. 8, 2025) – The North Central College women's golf program matched its program record with a 54-hole score of 944 in the 2025 CCIW Championship en route to a second-place finish at Metamora Fields Golf Club in Metamora, Illinois. The Cardinals had four all-conference honorees, two on the first team, and two on the inaugural second team.

North Central claimed second place in the CCIW Championship for the first time since 2013, posting rounds of 315, 309 and 320. Its score of 944 matches the program record set in the 2023 CCIW Championship, while its second-place finish improves upon the program's third-place finish last season.

Madison Place and Mallorie Clifton paced the Cardinals, as both earned All-CCIW First Team honors.

Place shot a collegiate best of 75 in the first round on Monday and proceeded to duplicate that result in Tuesday's second round, shooting a second consecutive 75. Her third round, a 78, included a team-high three birdies, among them an incredible chip-in on the 17^th hole from a greenside bunker. Place's effort set the program record for a 54-hole individual score (228). 

Over the week, Place finished tied for fifth on the leaderboard, reaching as high as third place at various times throughout the tournament. Over her three rounds, she collected six birdies, doing so twice on the par-three fifth hole (rounds one and three).

Clifton shot her second-best round of the year in Tuesday's second round, finishing the weekend with a score of 234. The senior collected her first career all-conference accolade, finishing in seventh place.

Over her three rounds, Clifton collected three birdies, including a 50-foot birdie putt on the par-three eleventh in Wednesday's final round, while scoring par 30 times.

Illinois Wesleyan University claimed the team championship for the fourth consecutive year. The Titans turned in rounds of 301, 297 and 303 over the three-day event, finishing with a total score of 901.

The individual championship was also claimed by a Titan. Emily Gastrau took home first place with a score of 222, winning by two strokes. Gastrau was followed by Lexi Manteufel of Carthage College (224) in second, and her teammates Julia Henry and Gigi Zera (227) tied for third.

Anna Meinhart and Caterina Calabria both claimed spots on the first-ever All-CCIW second team, awarded to those who finished between 11^th and 20^th in the championship.

Meinhart finished just two strokes shy of first team honors, turning in a score of 241 on the week, good enough for 11^th. She shot rounds of 80, 80 and 81, collecting two birdies and 27 pars over her 54 holes.

This marks Meinhart's second consecutive All-CCIW award after her 10^th-place finish last year.

Calabria shot her second-best round of collegiate golf in Tuesday's round, and proceeded to match it in Wednesday's championship round, carding a 79 on both days. The junior finished tied for 15^th with a final tally of 246, catapulted by her 26 pars over the course of the championship.

Aleksa Gizewicz shot rounds of 83, 81 and 86, collecting three birdies on the way to a score of 250. She finished in 24^th and was North Central's recipient of the CCIW RESPECT Award. The CCIW RESPECT Award is awarded to a member of each CCIW varsity team who demonstrates the values of Responsibility, Enthusiasm, Service, Pride, Excellence, Collaboration and Trust while demonstrating themselves as a vital member of their team.

Carley Rogers turned in a score of 263 (87, 86 and 90) in her first taste of CCIW Championship action. The freshman collected her first collegiate birdie on Tuesday on the par five 16^th before scoring two more during Wednesday's round (par four fourth and par four 17^th). Tuesday's round of 86 was Rogers' collegiate best round.

North Central, led by coach Rachel Gray, improved its team finish for the fifth straight season in the event and for the second time under Gray's watch.