Laura Heck gets another MIAC golf honor

October 01, 2008

St. Thomas All-American Laura Heck (JR-Chisholm/Hibbing) Tuesday was named MIAC Player of the Week in women's golf. It was the fourth such honor in the last 13 months for Heck.

Heck won medalist honors for her third consecutive competition --  sixth time in her last 13 matches -- to help No. 7-ranked St. Thomas share first place out of 15 teams at the UW-Stevens Point tournament. Both teams finished at 637, with Stevens Point getting the team victory on an NCAA tiebreaker (low round of fifth player). The Tommies' 309 score on Saturday tied a school record for lowest round -- also achieved in October 2005 at the St. Ben's Invite.

Heck topped a field of 69 players as she shot 73-80/153 and beat Point's Jessica Urban by one shot. Heck has a 78.1 stroke average in eight fall rounds. Amy Anderson tied for third at 75-80/155; Chelsa Dooley placed fifth as she shot 77-80/157.

The Tommies will close out the fall season as they compete in the MIAC Championships Oct 4-5-6 at Bunker Hills Golf Course in Coon Rapids. The Tommies have lost all three head-to-head meetings this fall with Gustavus but have won this MIAC tournament seven years in a row.

Two weeks agi, Heck won the honor after she was medalist at the Midwest Classic tournament. Heck shot 78 on Sunday, one of just three in the field of 98 players to break 80 in the final round. After her 79 on Saturday, Heck started the final round three strokes out of the lead.

Heck was named the 2007-088 MIAC Player of the Year and had the lowest stroke average in the conference with a 79.1. Heck won the MIAC Championship last October by eight shots and also tied for first at the Midwest Classic last spring. She tied for 21st out of 111 players at the NCAA Championships with a four-round total of 316.