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Pine Mountain, GA -- Sacred Heart women's golf made it three in NEC titles in a row and the Pioneers did it in record-breaking fashion.

SHU blitzed the 12-team field by 42 strokes, marking the largest margin of victory in championship history. The runaway victory unfolded on the par-70 Lake View Course at Callaway Resort & Gardens in Pine Mountain, GA.

With this victory, Sacred Heart clinched their fourth NEC crown, placing the Pios in esteemed company alongside FDU, LIU, and Saint Francis U as schools that have three-peated.

SHU wrapped the 54-hole event at 29-over par with a team score of 869 over three rounds. The Pioneers posted the lowest team score each day, culminating with a 19-over 299 on Sunday.

After finishing third in its inaugural NEC event last season, Howard earned runner-up honors this weekend, carding a 911.

FDU moved up two spots on the final day to finish tied for third with LIU at 914. Merrimack finished fourth strokes back, registering a 918 team total to claim fifth place.

The battle for the individual championship turned into a duel between two teammates.

Defending champion Chantal El Chaib of Sacred Heart built what seemed like an insurmountable six stroke lead heading into the final round, shooting 5-under 141 over the first 36 holes.

As El Chaib struggled in the final round, her teammate Margot Rouquette caught fire on the back nine, firing three birdies. With the two players tied heading into the final hole for each, Rouquette completed the comeback with a birdie to clinch a one-stroke victory and collect her first NEC individual crown.
 

Rouquette shot 1-over 71 on Sunday - the best round of the day - to finish at 2-over 212 for the championship. El Chaib shot a 78 during her final round and ended at 3-over 213.

It marked the third top-10 showing for Rouquette, who finished third in 2021 and sixth in 2022. El Chaib claimed her third top-10 finish as well. She ended the 2022 NEC Championship in sixth place and followed with her individual title one year later.

LIU's Emily Byrne tied for the second-lowest round of the day (73) to earn a third place finish at 7-over 217. 

SHU's Kailee Welch gave the Pioneers three of the top-four individual performers. She carded a 9-over 219 over three rounds. The graduate student racked up four top-10 finishes over the course of her career, landing seventh (2021), ninth (2022) and second (2023).

Howard's Morgan Horrell and NC Central's Trinity Ahing tied for sizth at 14-over 224. Horrell was the fourth place finisher in her NEC debut last spring.

LIU's Hailey Holbdy moved up two spots in the final round to nab eighth place, shooting 15-over 225.

FDU's Victoria Schroedl, the 2022 NEC individual champion, used a 73 in the final round to shoot up ten places and nab a ninth place finish. Schroedl, who shot 16-over 226, was also the individual runner-up at the 2021 championship.

Stonehill's Kenna Roman jumped three spots during the final round to tie for ninth place.

Sacred Heart will now go on to represent the NEC at the NCAA Women's Golf Championships. It all begins on Wednesday, April 24 with the NCAA selection show on Golf Channel at 2:00 pm ET. NCAA Regionals then take place May 6-8, followed by the championship finals from May 17-22 in Carlsbad, CA.
 
Final Team Standings
1.    Sacred Heart - 869 (282-288-299)
2.    Howard - 911 (295-302-314)
T3.  FDU - 914 (299-307-308)
T3.   LIU - 914 (288-311-315)
5.    Merrimack - 918 (304-294-320)
T6.  Delaware State - 956 (316-312-328)
T6   Stonehill - 956 (317-319-320)
8.    NC Central - 960 (311-313-336)
9.    Saint Francis U - 984 (315-331-338)
10.  Wagner - 991 (327-329-335)
11.   Le Moyne - 1046 (353-337-356)
12.   UMES - 1147 (365-381-401)

Final Top-10 Individual Standings
1. Margot Rouquette, SHU / +2, 212 (72-69-71)
2. Chantal El Chaib, SHU / +3, 213 (66-69-78)
3. Emily Byrne, LIU / +7, 217 (69-75-73)
4. Kailee Welch, SHU / +9, 219 (70-72-77)
5. Morgan Horrell, HU / +11, 221 (71-76-74)
T6. Trinity Ahing, NCCU / +14, 224 (71-74-79)
T6. Ava Lucas, MC / +14, 224 (74-69-81)
8. Hailey Holbdy, LIU / +15, 225 (71-77-77)
T9. Victoria Schroedl, FDU / +16, 226 (76-77-73)
T9. Kenna Roman, STO / +16, 226 (75-74-77)