Laura Heck gets MIAC honor

October 09, 2007

Tommie golfer Laura Heck (SO-Chisholm/Hibbing HS) Tuesday was named Player of the Week in MIAC women's golf after her impressive performance in the 54-hole MIAC Championships which concluded Monday.

Heck won the medalist chase by a whopping eight strokes and St. Thomas women's golf team put three other players in the top seven en route to an unprecedented seventh consecutive MIAC team title. In the process, UST coach Sara Evens' team claimed the MIAC's automatic berth into the May 2008 Division III national tournament in Waverly, Iowa.

The Tommies started the final round with a six-shot advantage then pulled away for a 19-stroke victory over runner-up Gustavus. St. Thomas had finished behind Gustavus in three consecutive fall tournaments.

Heck is the Tommies' fifth MIAC meet medalist in the last six seasons. The sophomore had rounds of 76-77-77/230. That was just two shots off the MIAC meet 54-hole record score of 228 set in 2006 by teammate Holly Noble. There were only four rounds under 78 all weekend -- three by Heck and one by Noble. Heck placed 14th at the MIAC Championships as a freshman in 2006, but came back last May to tie for 10th at nationals and earn honorable-mention All-America honors.

Two weeks earlier, Heck shared medalist honors in a field of 80 players at the Midwest Classic tournament. She had rounds of 75-82/157.She was named co_player of the Week in the MIAC following that tournament.

In nine rounds this fall, Heck averaged a 78.5 score for 18 holes -- best among 60 MIAC women's players.

St. Thomas' seventh consecutive team title marks longest current title streak in the conference after St. Thomas men's indoor track (23), Gustavus men's tennis (19), Gustavus women's tennis (16), and St. Thomas women's indoor track (eight).