A challenge was accepted and, in the end, overcome as the Statesmen women’s golf team repeated as champions at the Midwest Collegiate Conference Championships Tuesday and Wednesday.

#20 William Penn was first out of seven teams with a two-round score of 634 (317-317) at the par-72 Blue Top Ridge Golf Course. Grand View threatened, trailing by just eight strokes after the first round, but the navy and gold pulled away from the field to secure its second-straight berth to the NAIA National Championships. The event will be held May 12-15 at Savannah Quarters Country Club in Pooler, Ga.

WPU will seek to improve upon last year’s impressive 15th-place showing.

Also for the second year in a row, Demi Coertze topped the 35-player field to become league championship medalist. The junior posted a 153 (77-76) to win by two strokes.

Maggie Yang and Alexandria Eckenrod were named to the all-tournament team as well by finishing in the top five. Yang was third at 156 (77-79), while Eckenrod tied for fifth at 160 (79-81).