LEXINGTON, Ky. – UIndy student-athlete Pilar Echeverria captured the individual medal at the University of Kentucky's Bettie Lou Evans Invitational Sunday. The reigning Division II Player of the Year carded a score of -5 to top the field at the three-day, 72-hole event, held at the University Club of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky.
 
As a team, the Greyhounds (301-303-296) placed ninth of 13 teams. UIndy was the only non-DI school in the field, one that included Big Ten teams Rutgers and Penn State as well as the host Wildcats.
 
Echeverria stayed in the red each of the three rounds, carding scores of 70-71-70 to finish at five-under and best a trio of challenges at -3. It marks the second time in five months she has won an otherwise all-DI event, as she also took the individual medal at Ohio State's tournament last April.
 
"Pilar just continues to be Pilar," said Head Coach Brent Nicoson after seeing his top player add to her historic resume. "She's so consistent and just sticks to her game plan and the process. Winning in a great field like this is exciting for her and our program. I am extremely proud of her leadership."
 
Meanwhile, sophomore Cailyn Henderson (78-76-70) used a solid third round to jump 25 spots over the final 18 holes. Her score of 70 on Sunday vaulted her into a share of 22nd place among the 75 competitors.
 
Freshman Catharina Graf (76-77-79) tied for 56th place, junior Anna Kramer (77-81-77) shared 67th and freshman Hunter Nugent (80-79-80) tied for 71st.
 
Said Nicoson of the team's overall performance: "We did not play close to what we are capable of and that was concerning this week. We made uncharacteristic mistakes, but today I saw some really great things; Cailyn bouncing back with 70, Anna playing her last 15 holes at even par after a really bad break on No. 16, and Cathi playing her last 12 holes even par were all positives that we can take away from this week."
 
As Coach Nicoson alluded to, Kramer's final round could have looked much better. Prior to her long run of even-par golf, her wedge shot on 16 hit the flagstick a foot above the hole and took a bad bounce 30 feet back and into the water. She salvaged a double bogey on the hole and went on to par 13 of the the final 15 holes, as well as notching a birdie on the par-4 fourth.
 
UP NEXT
The Greyhounds have a couple of region-heavy events on the schedule in October, starting with the William Beall Fall Classic in Findlay, Ohio on Oct. 7-8.