UNITED STATES COLLEGE GOLF NEWS

DUKE UNIVERSITY SIGN ITALIAN ACE 


NEWS RELEASE FROM DUKE UNIVERSITY 

DURHAM, North Carolina – Duke University women’s golf head coach Dan Brooks announced this week the signing of Virginia Elena Carta of Udine, Italy to a national letter of intent to attend Duke in the fall of 2015.

“We could not be more excited,” commented Brooks on the signing of Carta. “Virginia exemplifies everything we search for in a student-athlete.  She's a very skilled golfer who loves being part of a team.  She's passionate about golf, about her academics and about Duke.”

Carta, a member of the Italian national team since 2010, owns seven career victories and is currently ranked No. 1 in the Italian National Order of Merit.  

Over her career, she has won the 2014 German Girls Open, 2014 Slovenian international ladies championship, 2014 French ladies international championship Trophee Esmond, 2013 Austrian ladies international championship, National tournament trofeo Umberto Agnelli in 2012, Italian National Tournament Citta di Milano in 2012 and the Leoncino D’oro di Venezia in 2010.

A member of the 2014 Junior Ryder Cup team for Europe, Carta also competed in the 2013 Junior Solheim Cup.  She saw action in the 2014 World Ladies Team Championship for Italy and placed tied 27^th overall with rounds of 69, 74, 68 and 74.  

Carta has played in the European team championship a total of four times, while placing second in 2013,  fourth in 2012 and fifth in 2011.  Carta competed in the 2014 Youth Olympic Games and turned in a fourth place individual finish.     

“The aspect of Virginia's game that first impressed me was her power,” said Brooks.  “She can really pound it. And she plays with great passion. I love that.”

Duke will return the bulk of its roster in 2015-16 as the Blue Devils lose only one senior, Irene Jung.  Celine Boutier, Sandy Choi, Leona Maguire, Lisa Maguire, Gurbani Singh and Yi Xiao will all be back.

 In the latest Golfweek/Sagarin Women’s College Golf rankings, Duke is listed fourth nationally, while the Blue Devils feature two golfers in the top 10 of the individual ranking.

Duke registered four finishes in the top seven out of four tournaments in the fall, while claiming the Tar Heel Invitational championship for the second straight season.  

Head coach Dan Brooks netted his 120^th career victory with the win in Chapel Hill.

Washington is currently the No. 1 ranked women's college team in the nation, while South Carolina, UCLA, Duke, Stanford, Southern California, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Northwestern and Wake Forest round out the top 10.

In the individual rankings, Duke freshman Leona Maguire is No. 3, while junior Celine Boutier is No. 10. Taking the top slot was SooBin Kim out of Washington, while Alison Lee of UCLA is second. 

Leona Maguire, who is a native of Cavan, Ireland, has totalled a 70.33 stroke average and placed in the top seven of all four tournaments.  She became just the third Blue Devil in school history to place in the top five of her first three collegiate tournaments – Amanda Blumenherst (2005-06) and Beth Bauer (1998-99) were the others.  

Maguire has carded even or under par rounds in 11 of 12 outings, while collecting three in the 60s.

Duke will be off until February 8-10 when the Blue Devils travel to Palos Verdes, Caliornia, to play in the Northrop Grumman Challenge.