May 26, 2004

Chapel Hill, N.C. - Two University of North Carolina women's golfers, Meaghan Francella and Ashley Prange, have been named to the 2004 National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) Division I All-America team. Prange was an honorable mention selection last year while this is Francella's first appearance on the squad. Both players earlier received All-ACC accolades.

Joining Francella and Prange, both seniors, on the first team are Duke's Elizabeth Janangelo, Brittany Lang and Virada Nirapathpongporn; UCLA's Susie Mathews and Charlotte Mayorkas; Arizona's Erica Blasberg; Ohio State's Allison Hanna; California Berkeley's Sarah Huarte; Washington State's Kim Welch and Vanderbilt's May Wood.

Elizabeth Janangelo of Duke was selected the 2004 NGCA Player of the Year while teammate Brittany Lang was named Freshman of the Year. Carrie Forsyth of UCLA was chosen National Coach of the Year.

Francella, from Port Chester, N.Y., captured the NCAA East Regional Championship after firing a seven-under-par 209 total with rounds of 69-71-69. She was the runner-up at the ACC Championship finishing just two strokes behind the champion. Francella has carded six top-11 finishes the spring and 10 top-25 finishes this year. In addition to her ACC and East Regional performances this spring, Francella carded a third-place finish at the LSU/Cleveland Golf Classic, tied for fifth at the Lady Gamecock Classic, finished 10th at the Betsy Rawls Longhorn Invitational, tied for 11th at the Bryan National Collegiate and tied for 22nd at the NCAA Championship. Last fall, she finished in fourth place at the Franklin Street Partners Invitational, finished 10th at the ACC/SEC Challenge and tied for 22nd at the NCAA Fall Preview.

Prange, from Noblesville, Ind., won two tournaments this spring - the LSU/Cleveland Golf Classic and the Lady Gamecock Classic. She was also the runner-up at the NCAA East Regional, finishing five strokes behind teammate Francella, with a two-under 214 total. Prange has posted six top-11 finishes this spring and nine top-25 finishes this year. In addition to her two wins and runner-up finish at the East Regional this spring, Prange finished in third place at the ACC Championship, finished ninth at the Betsy Rawls Longhorn Invitational and tied for 11th at the Bryan National Collegiate. Last fall, she tied for fifth place at the Franklin Street Partners Invitational, tied for 12th at the NCAA Fall Preview and finished 22nd at the ACC/SEC Challenge.