Boleyn qualifies for nationals

Posted: Apr 25, 2021

ANKENY - Kelly Boleyn battled the conditions and the course to secure a spot at the upcoming NJCAA Women's Golf Championship here on Sunday.

With her 12th place finish at the Region XI Championship, Boleyn earned a spot at nationals for Iowa Central.

Iowa Western's Luisa Gibson earned medalist honors with a two-day total of 153, firing rounds of 73 and 80. That helped the Reivers earn another team title and qualify for nationals.

"It felt so great that all the hard work I have put in throughout the season has paid off," Boleyn said. "This has been the end goal since the start of the school year, so to finally have it done feels amazing. The wind was a lot worse the second day so that impacted my play a lot.

"My game definitely wasn't where I wanted it the last two days, but I still managed to get it done so I'm just thankful for that."

Boleyn, a former Humboldt standout, followed up her opening round 88 with a 90 on Sunday. She remained inside the Top-15 to advance by six strokes.

Iowa Central's men's golf team made the trip to support Boleyn, which she said was "really nice."

"They are my golf family and are the ones that have pushed me all season to play as good as I can," she said. "I am really excited for the chance to go to nationals. It's so crazy that it's actually happening and I'm excited to get to play in Florida as a Triton."

The NJCAA Championship takes place May 10-13 in Ormond Beach, Florida at the Plantation Bay Golf and Country Club.

"Incredibly proud of Kelly," Iowa Central head coach Kris Graewin said. "We set out at the beginning of the year with a goal of getting through to nationals and she was able to do it. I couldn't be happier for her. She didn't have her best this weekend but we talked about all it needed to be was good enough and it was.

"Heading down to Florida is the reward she deserves after the past 18 months of dealing with a good freshman fall season to having last spring canceled to winning our fall invite and breaking 80 for the first time in a tournament this spring."

At Humboldt, Boleyn helped the Wildcats place second in the Class 3A state tournament in 2019, earning second team all-state honors. She was also an academic all-state honoree.

The Iowa Central men's golf team will compete May 1-3 in Riverside at the Blue Top Ridge Golf Course in the Region XI Championship.

-By Dana Becker