For the 11th straight year, top-ranked Duke will participate in the NCAA Women’s Championship as the Blue Devils turned in a second-place finish at the NCAA East Regional on Saturday.

Florida, which entered the final round with a three-stroke advantage, held on for a one-stroke victory over the Blue Devils with a 54-hole total of 883 at the University of Georgia Golf Course in Athens, Ga.

Duke finished a stroke back at 884, and were led by Amanda Blumenherst, who recorded her third straight second-place NCAA Regional finish. Blumenherst finished at 1-under 215, also one stroke back of medalist Benedicte Toumpsin of South Carolina.

Virginia finished fifth and Wake Forest tied for sixth to join Duke as ACC schools to advance to the NCAA. East Carolina saw its season come to a close with a 12th-place finish, but the Pirates recorded their highest-ever finish in an NCAA Regional. The Pirates finished at 55-over 919.

The Blue Devils finished second in regional action for the third time out of the last four years, but Duke is the reigning three-time defending NCAA champion.

"No, but I don't think they [the team] are [either]," said Duke coach Dan Brooks when asked if he was pleased with how the Blue Devils played. "It doesn't come down to if I'm pleased — they're disappointed in the results. But there is a kind of resolve in these athletes. We have a really great group of attitudes on this team. We're going to be a tougher team come nationals."

Behind Blumenherst for the Blue Devils were Jennifer Pandolfi (T-20, 8-over 224), freshman Kim Donovan (T-36, 228), Alison Whitaker (T-43, 229) and Jennie Lee (T-48, 230).

East Carolina was led by freshman Amber Littman, who tied for 36th at 12-over 228. Rounding out the Pirates were teammate Abby Bools (T-43, 229), Emelie Lind (T-55, 231), Ana Maria Puche (T-68, 235) and Colleen Estes (T-86, 240).

The Blue Devils will open the NCAA Women’s Championship on Tuesday, May 20, at the 6,424-yard, par-72 University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course.

"We definitely have a few things we need to work on [prior to nationals]," Blumenherst said. "It is going to be tough this year, it is going to be a challenge and we are going to have to work hard to win another one. It is not going to be given to us by any means. These teams are out here to beat us. We have some work to do this next week or so. I think it is more mental than anything — just buckling down and playing hard. We all have the talent to win, it is just being able to focus."

The Central Regional proved bittersweet for N.C. State. The Wolfpack tied for 10th at 39-over 903, one shot out of a playoff for the eighth and final NCAA Championship qualifying position. N.C. State was seeking its first championship appearance.

LSU defeated Florida State in the playoff to advance. UCLA led wire-to-wire to win the regional at 3-under 861.

Individually, junior Lauren Doughtie became the first Wolfpack played to earn a bid to the NCAA Women’s Championship, shooting a final-round 73 to tie for fifth at 1-under 215.

Rounding out the Wolfpack were Stephanie Derrey (T-14, 220), Emily Street (T-41, 228), Julie Saleeby (T-84, 240) and Joanna Saleeby (T-103, 255).

In the West Regional at Lincoln Hills Golf Club in Lincoln, Calif., North Carolina finished 19th with a 50-over 914 score. Southern California topped the 21-team field with a 9-under 855 score.

Therese Koelbaek of UNLV and Alison Walshe of Arizona tied for individual
medalist honors at 6-under 210. Junior Sydney Crane led the Tar Heels, tying for 22nd at 5-over 221. Other UNC finishers were Kate Thomas (T-44, 9-over 225), Lauren Hun (T-76, 230), Ann Laney (T-98, 240), and Colette Lowe (100, 241).