STANFORD -- BYU's women's golf team was nine strokes short of qualifying for the NCAA Championship finishing in 13th place at the 2004 NCAA West Regional at Stanford Golf Course on Saturday.

BYU's 13th place finish was their best regional finish since 1994 when they also finished 13th. The Cougars started the day in 16th place and put together the eighth-best team total on the day, 17-over 305, but it wasn't enough to crack into the top eight and advance to the championship round.

"I'm so proud of this team," BYU head coach Sue Nyhus said. "They were poised, confident, and did everything they needed to do, but just came up a few shots short."

UCLA led from start to finish and took home the title after finishing three-under 282-293-286--861. California finished in second and host Stanford came in third. The top eight teams from the NCAA West Regional advanced to the 2004 NCAA Championships in Auburn, Ala. BYU's best NCAA regional finish is 11th place in 1993 and has never advanced past the NCAA West Regional.

Individually, true freshman Rachel Newren finished 37th after a final round 79. Newren was in 17th place after two rounds but fell back out of the top 20 on the final day. Another true freshman Alexis Edwards had the best final round for the Cougars as she went three-over 75 and finished in 76th place out of 108 individuals. Natalie Newren finished a solid tournament with a 49th place finish and a final round 76. Nicole Newren-Chandler, competing in her last collegiate tournament finished with a 77 and 72nd place. Margaret Gibby also carded a final round 77 and placed 63rd overall.

The Cougars end the season with two solid performances. BYU earned its best MWC Tournament finish (third place) in four years and the Cougars also earned it second best NCAA regional finish in school history.

"We know we moving in the right direction and were only going to get better," Nyhus said.

TEAM STANDINGS (PAR 72)   
1.  UCLA                    282-293-286--861
2.  California              290-289-289--868
3.  Stanford                293-297-293--883
4.  Washington              298-309-285--892
5.  Georgia                 304-298-298--900
6.  Ohio State              303-302-296--901
7.  Arizona State           312-298-298--908
8.  Texas                   306-296-311--913*
9.  Washington State        302-304-307--913
9.  Oregon                  305-303-305--913
11. Denver                  302-299-314--915
12. Pepperdine              300-312-305--917
13. BRIGHAM YOUNG           310-307-305--922
13. Texas Tech              304-309-309--922
15. San Jose State          311-308-305--924
15. San Diego State         310-303-311--924
17. San Francisco           308-313-311--932
18. CSU-Northridge          310-305-321--936                                          
19. New Mexico State        318-305-317--940
20. Portland State          320-308-315--943 
21. Oral Roberts            328-320-321--969                    
* advanced after a playoff
BYU INDIVIDUALS
37.  Rachel Newren           75-72-79--226
T49. Natalie Newren          76-79-76--231
T63. Margaret Gibby          81-76-77--234
T72. Nicole Newren-Chandler  79-80-77--236
T76. Alexis Edwards          80-82-75--237
108 participants

PROVO -- The No. 53 BYU women's golf team was selected on Monday to compete in next weekend's NCAA Western Regional at Stanford, Calif.

The Cougars were awarded the 15th seed in a tough field of 21 teams, including UCLA, California, and Ohio State, Nos. 2, 3, and 4, respectively, in the latest Golfweek.com ratings.

The high-powered Bruins are gunning for their second regional title in three years, but will have to contend with -- among other schools -- a Cougar club that is coming off a third-place finish at the MWC Championships in Sunriver, Ore. last weekend. BYU shot a solid 297-295-288--880 and was led by junior Margaret Gibby, who shot a one-over-par 70-70-74--214, taking fourth in the individual standings.

The NCAA Western Regional will be held at Stanford Golf Club on May 6-8, next Thursday through Saturday.