Nov. 5, 2007

LEWISBURG, Pa. -- With the fall women's golf season now complete, Bucknell freshman Katie Jurenovich (Warren, Ohio/Howland) and senior Emily Chiodo (Strasburg, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) are both ranked in the top 20 in scoring average in the Big South Conference.

Jurenovich enjoyed an excellent debut season for the Bison, compiling a team-best 80.6 scoring average in four tournaments. That mark ranks 17th in the Big South. She carded a season-best 77 on two occasions, at the Rutgers Invitational and Richmond Spider Invitational, and earned her first collegiate top-10 finish (T-9th) at Rutgers.

Jurenovich's scoring average ranks fifth in the league among freshmen players. Allison Itria of Winthrop has the low rookie average of 78.2.

Chiodo entered the fall campaign with a career-low of 79, but she equalled or bettered that mark four times in 10 rounds. Chiodo posted a career-low 76 in the final round at Richmond, and she also had 78s at the Nittany Lion Invitational and the Ross Resorts Invitational. Her fall average of 80.7 ranks 18th in the Big South.

The Bison were scheduled to participate this week in the Firestone Grill Invitational in California, but a rash of injuries forced them to cancel.

Still, Bucknell appears poised for a strong spring. Jurenovich and Chiodo will be coming off outstanding fall performances, while senior Kristen Phalen (Duxbury, Mass./Tabor Academy) made a strong return to the program before injuring a forearm in the final tournament of the season.

The Bison will also benefit from the return of junior Deirdre Moran (Bryn Mawr, Pa./Academy of Notre Dame), who was studying abroad this fall. Seniors Amy Loughney (Macungie, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) and Kathryn Batchelor (Lawrenceville, Pa./Princeton Day School) struggled a bit in the fall, but if those two veterans can return to form, Bucknell has the potential to be a factor at the Big South Championship next April.