Grace College women’s golf coach Denny Duncan, in the white hat, reacts with his team as they found out they won the NCCAA National Championship. (Photos courtesy Alan Pacocha)

WINONA LAKE – Their ‘ticker tape parade’ lasted all but a few steps in a parking lot, at the ripe hour of 3:30 a.m. on a Friday morning. But you know what, the women’s golfers at Grace College will take it and remember it for the rest of their lives.

The golf team, fresh off a three-day run at the NCCAA National Championships in Palm Coast, Florida, were on the heels of a celebration Grace College hasn’t had in 24 years. None of the women on the golf roster were alive when Grace last won a national championship, an NCCAA title in volleyball, in 1995. Just volleyball, men’s basketball in 1992 in the NAIA tournament and now the 2019 women’s golf team are all Grace has had in team sports. So the 3:30 a.m. celebration with the dozen or so in the MOCC parking lot?

Sydney Abbott works off the fringe during play at the NCCAA National Championships.

“I’d be walking down the sidewalk and most times people wouldn’t say anything,” started Grace senior Sydney Abbott, “But now people are saying congratulations. Getting recognized now is crazy. I called my family and they were going crazy. I went down to see them this past weekend and it was a big deal. At the time you think it’s a big deal, then you get back to campus and catch up on some sleep. No big deal being home, then you see and hear it across campus. It’s kinda surreal.”

The celebration, which the athletic department is planning a more formal offering sometime this winter, actually started last Thursday, when Grace capped the third day with an amazing finish to the NCCAAs. Both Grace and Erskine College were sitting at 646  (+70) and dead even heading into the third round, Erskine matching Grace’s Tuesday 10-stroke lead with a 10 stroke difference of its own Wednesday.

Even after Erskine and Grace sent in its first four golfers, the margin was razor thin, Erskine’s Anna Parramore holding a stroke lead on Grace freshman Lucy Young. Parramore, who would still go on to win the individual championship with a three-day score of 230 (+14), would show some cracks in the armor, and for Grace, at the best possible time. A miracle chip in by Young on the 16th, along with Parramore’s missed putt after a tremendous approach, evened the score. Young went up and down on 17, with Parramore watching, then the Erskine ace three putted. Both bogeyed 18, which gave Grace a two-stroke win.

The miracle chip in from Young, unconventional missed putts from Parramore, water hazards that shaped the first two days. Short of an alligator stealing the ball out of the cup, it was a storybook ending for Young and the Lancers.

“I tried not to think about the last three holes as far as messing up,” Young said. “Coach (Denny Duncan) had come up to me and told me (Parramore) was missing putts that she never misses. That was when I felt like it was getting really close.”

Life was a beach for Carolyn Pacocha during Grace’s run to a national title.

Duncan has Grace as National Champions in just its fifth year of existence. It’s not inconceivable that a program could rise to a national championship level in that short amount of time. But those who know Duncan and the standards he expects, those recruits came in ready. For those like Lauren Keiser in the first couple years, and with Abbott and fellow senior Anna Marshall continuing the standard, it’s not hard to believe that a freshman like Young could come right in and have an impact, albeit a championship impact.

“These girls have heard my speeches a hundred times before,” said Duncan. “We were in position to win our home tournament and just didn’t finish well. For literally the last two weeks leading up to the national tournament, I talked to a half dozen different coaches with my concern that we didn’t finish well and what could we do different. In the end, I just didn’t say a lot. I could tell they were focused. I was just matter of fact that we came down there to win, play well, stay consistent and we could win the thing.”

Rachel Harvey actually was possibly the most pivotal in the title run with her 11th-place finish of +32. Harvey shot an 81 on the final day in what Duncan noted as the biggest of the five scores, including Young.

So chalk up Young, Abbott, Harvey, Marshall and Carolyn Pacocha into the pantheon of champions at Grace College. Young giggled at the notion of being a ‘big man on campus’. But life goes on, even for the historic.

“Usually when we win a tournament, it’s a pat on the back and a good job. This one with such a big field and it being a big deal, we all were just jumping around and hugging and screaming,” admitted Abbott, who then shot into, “I’m not an emotional person, but I was in tears. Everybody was in tears. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything like that.”

Added Young, who was a teammate of Abbott’s at Center Grove High School, “I was really nervous coming here and golfing those first couple of tournaments. It was so much more competitive than high school golf. Then you get a couple out of the way, I felt more comfortable. I got a couple swing issues corrected, and that seemed to help a lot. I really felt like I was contributing after that.”

Concluded Duncan, those only coach Grace women’s golf has had, “My relationship with these girls is so close, I was just so happy for them. To see the reactions on their faces when we found out we won. Other than a couple moments in my personal life, nothing will top that.”

Grace College women’s golf will add the third national championship banner to the MOCC after, from left to right, coach Denny Duncan, Lucy Young, Carolyn Pacocha, Sydney Abbott, Rachel Harvey and Anna Marshall, won the title by two strokes last week.