The Mount Holyoke golf team had another solid season in 2014-15, finishing sixth or better in all 10 events, including runner-up at the Liberty League Championships. Under the direction of fourth-year head coach Tim Walko, the Lyons saw three players garner All-League honors, while eight garnered All-Academic recognition.
Kicking off the 2014-15 season was the NYU Invitational, which saw senior Madi Mendiola finish sixth overall. As a team, the Lyons were second of 12 teams, another positive move after finishing fourth a year ago and 11th in the 2012-13 season.
The Lyons continued to shine the following weekend, as the squad placed fifth at its own MHC Invitational at The Orchards, paced once again by Mendiola, who was sixth overall. The end of September brought a solid effort from the Lyons, as three finished in the top-15 at the Middlebury Invitational. Mendiola paced the way in 10th, while sophomores June Conti and Allison Shilling tied for 14th. As a team, the Lyons finished fourth overall.
October brought the final two meets of the fall for Mount Holyoke which finished sixth and fourth, respectively, at the Williams College and Ann S. Batchelder Invitationals. At Williams, Mendiola finished 11th, while Conti paced the Lyons at the Batchelder with fourth-place.
The Lyons headed south for their spring break training trip, heading to the PGA Village for several dual matches. MHC posted a victory over Hamilton and went on to defeat Liberty League-rival William Smith. Highlighting the trip was Shilling, who recorded her first career hole-in-one on the sixth hole of the Wanamaker Course at the Village.
A long and brutal winter led to a tough start in the spring, but the Lyons persevered with a fifth-place finish at the Vassar Invitational. Due to tough conditions at the Orchards following the winter snow, the Jack Leaman was cut down to a one day event at Amherst. Mendiola led the way for the Lyons, placing seventh overall, while Conti and Shilling tied for 14th. As a team, MHC was fifth.
The 2014-15 season culminated at the 2015 Liberty League Championships as the team looked to defend its title from the previous year. The event, which was hosted at the Clifton Springs Golf Club, saw the Lyons facing a tough hurdle after day one, sitting 21 strokes behind first-place NYU. Despite several outstanding performances in on the final day of action, Mount Holyoke was unable to make up the difference, finishing as the runner-up to the Violets.
Conti finished in a three-way tie for second, earning All-Liberty League First Team honors for the second straight season. Mendiola and sophomore Amanda Lee both tied for eighth to garner All-League Second Team recognition, while Shilling and sophomore Heeamin Lee were 12th and 19th, respectively.
On the season, the Lyons saw Mendiola and Conti both earn Performer of the Week recognition, including two for Mendiola. Additionally, Mendiola and Conti joined Lee, Shilling, Lee and sophomores Vladislava Paskova, Kelly McElreath and Jiyoung Yim on the Liberty League All-Academic Team - the Lyons boasted the most players selected.
• Runner-up at the 2015 Liberty League Championship
• Finished top-six in all 10 meets
• One named All-Liberty League First Team –June Conti '17
• Two named All-Liberty League Second Team – Madi Mendiola '15 & Amanda Lee '17
• 2x Liberty League Performer of the Week (9/22, 4/20) – Madi Mendiola '15
• Liberty League Performer of the Week (10/13) – June Conti '17
• Eight student-athletes named to Liberty League All-Academic Team – most in the league for golf
