May 11, 2009

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Freshman Nathalie Mansson became the third Tennessee golfer to earn Lady Vol Athlete of the Week honors on Monday, after leading the Big Orange to a third-place finish at the NCAA East Regional from May 7-9 to earn UT its fifth trip to the NCAA Championships in six years.

Mansson fired a 2-over 212 total to tie for third at the University of Florida's par-70, 6,023-yard Mark Bostick Golf Course as the Orange and White tallied a team score total of 873 (+33).

The Stockholm, Sweden, native's 54-hole total was a season-best and her second-best score in relation to par of her rookie campaign. She started off the tournament by carding a 1-under 69 for the first round last Thursday, before following with a 72 on Friday and a 71 on Saturday.

She didn't card a single double bogey at the tournament, and finished with six birdies.

Mansson is having a historically great freshman season for the Big Orange. Her current season scoring average of 73.45 ranks third in Lady Vol history and her nine par or better rounds this season places her sixth.

Mansson burst onto the collegiate golf scene with an impressive first tournament, tying for 12th with an even-par total of 216 at the Cougar Classic in September. She led the Lady Vols in two of four tournaments in the fall, but has gotten even better since the start of 2009.

During the spring season, Mansson has carried a 73.11 stroke average and has finished in the top-15 in five of six tournaments.

Additionally, Mansson earned Second Team All-SEC and All-Freshman conference honors this season.

After placing in the top eight only once in four fall tournaments, the Lady Vols have finished no worse than eighth at all six tournaments of the spring, including a runner-up placement at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic in February and a fourth-place finish at the SEC Championship in April.

Mansson joins junior Ginny Brown (April 20) and sophomore Rebecca Watson (Oct. 13) as Lady Vol golfers who were recipients of the Lady Vol Athlete of the Week award this season.

She will be back in action May 19-22 along with Brown, senior Nicole Smith, junior Diana Cantú and sophomore Lauren Spurlock at the NCAA Women's Golf Championships at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Md.