Paris Fieldings made program history as the first Bison to win the Northeast Conference (NEC) Championships individual title earlier this month on the Plantation Course at Kingsmill in Williamsburg, Virginia.
At the par-72 course, the Bison placed second in the NEC, falling to Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) by one stroke after a four-day tournament from April 10 to April 13.
Despite the team tying for the closest finish in championship history according to NEC, Fieldings was able to make her mark individually.
“I played my very best and gave it all that I had,” said Fieldings, a sophomore journalism major and sociology minor from Chesapeake, Virginia. “I was able to at least make history for Howard, as well as have a win under my belt for the Howard team.”
Throughout the 2024-2025 season, the Bison secured four first-place finishes: the Bridgestone HBCU Invitational, the Eastside Golf Invitational, the Arcis HBCU Championship, and the Women in Golf National Collegiate, according to Bison Athletics.
According to the director of golf, Sam Puryear, the team relied on stability to achieve success throughout the season. Puryear defined balance as each player having qualities that allowed the team to be successful even if “one of [their] best players didn’t play well [that] week.”
In preparation for the championships, Puryear instilled perseverance and relentlessness in his players when faced with adversity, along with a year of practices and workouts.
As he reflected on the season the Bison had, Puryear said, “The women did extremely well” and that he’s “really proud of the ladies.”
The Bison battled from wire to wire with the Knights, as both teams traded the lead several times throughout the tournament. As a collective, the Bison shot 64-over par (928).
Fieldings led the Bison throughout the tournament posting a 227 (+11) in 54 holes, senior Kendall Jackson tied for fourth place shooting 17-over par (233), while sophomore Emily Mayne placed seventh and shot 20-over par (236).
Fieldings, Jackson, and Mayne were all named to the All-Tournament Team.
Junior Marley Franklin tied for 12th place, shooting 24-over par (240).
This win by FDU secured the Knights’ 10th NEC title finishing 63-over par (927), led by Apichaya Chirakunakorn who shot 14-over par (230), placing second to Fieldings.
Third place went to Saint Francis University (977), followed by North Carolina Central University in fourth place (980), and a tie for fifth place between Stonehill College and Long Island University (984).
This tournament concluded the season for all of the Bison except one. Fieldings’ first-place finish at the NEC Championships qualified her for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Women’s Golf Championship. She will represent the women’s golf team and the university on a national stage May 16-21 at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California.
“I’m excited to see what other things I’m gonna do like how I’m gonna break history in the future,” said Fieldings. “I definitely can see myself doing it more often.”
Copy edited by Aniyah Genama
