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USF Women's Golf Competes in Fourth Straight Regional Beginning Thursday
May 5, 2004
USF Women's Golf will compete in their fourth consecutive NCAA Regional beginning Thursday, May 6, 2004 at the West Regional at the Stanford Golf Course. The Lady Dons have already made history this season, becoming the first USF women's team to advance to four consecutive NCAA berths and now look to qualify for their inaugural trip to the NCAA National Tournament.
San Francisco enters with a #34 ranking in the current poll released by GolfWeek and is the number 11 seed among the 21 teams competing in the West.
USF head coach Sara Range know the competition will be formidable, but believes her team is ready to rise to the challenge in a difficult region featuring seven conference championship squads.
"I feel they are very prepared for this opportunity. I have challenged them all to step it up and I am confident they will play with heart and determination. We have been very close in the past, but this group is capable of moving on to Nationals. We just need to go out there and play," Range said.
Below are brief capsules of the five players competing for the Lady Dons this weekend at the 2004 NCAA West Regional hosted by Stanford.
Jordan Auten, Sr. (Las Vegas, NV) - First woman in USF history to compete in four NCAA Tournaments and the first USF student-athlete in nearly two decades to play in four postseasons... has competed for the Lady Dons in every tournament during her four year career... team MVP and captain for the 2003-2004 season.
Range on Auten - "Jordan is ready for the next step and has done everything in her power to get the team ready. She has worked very hard on getting her swing in a perfect groove and has switched to a new putter as well. She is battle-tested and has been through this three times already and wants to help elevate the team to nationals to finish her senior season on a high."
Nikki Jacoby, So. (Rancho Bernardo, CA) - Continued to show flashes of brilliance as a sophomore... posted a runner-up finish to teammate Kristi Larsen at the 2003 Ptarmigan/Ram Fall Invitational, firing a career tournament low (213) and single round low (70) during the final round... placed eighth at the 2004 BYU Dixie Classic with a 225.
Range on Jacoby - "Nikki is hurting heading into this week with a sore shoulder, but she is a gamer. She typically plays her best when she is not at 100 percent. Nikki is our key to success. She has an amazing golf swing and needs to use it to her advantage. No one hits it better than she does."
Kristi Larsen, Sr. (Sacramento, CA) - Enters the 2004 NCAA West Regional ranked #71, according to GolfWeek... a 2004 West Coast Conference First Team selection... named Golf Digest Player of the Week (March 21)... two-time medalist as a senior... won the 2004 Ptarmigan/Ram Fall Classic and the 2004 UC Irvine Anteater Invitational... posted three runner-up finishes at the 2003 Oregon State Classic, the 2003 Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational and the 2004 WCC Championships... competed as an individual at the 2002 NCAA Nationals, while at New Mexico.
Range on Larsen - "Kristi has all the tools she needs to play very well at Regionals. This is what she has been waiting for all year and wants very badly to move onto the next level. Her ability is incredible and she loves the golf course. I know she will do wonderfully and continue to lead this team as she has done all year."
Kristin Nichols, Fr. (Rocklin, CA) - 2004 All-West Coast Conference First Team selection... saved the best for last shooting a career tournament low (229) and a single round low (72) at the 2004 WCC Championships.
Range on Nichols - "Kristin has worked hard all year and hopefully it will pay continue to pay off. It was fantastic to see her break through at the conference tournament and hope she can continue to produce on a big stage. She knows the course and knows where she needs to be on each hole. She is very excited about being a part of the traveling 5 and will not disappoint."
Mariko Shimozaki, Jr. (Kihei, HI) - A three-time All-West Coast Conference honoree... competing in her third NCAA Regional competition... finished third at the 2004 BYU Dixie Classic with a 221... tied for third at a windswept 2004 Bay Area Classic with a 155... shared fifth place at the 2004 UC Irvine Anteater Invitational with a 222.
Range on Shimozaki - "Mariko continues to be an exceptional performer and is the rock of this team. She will by consistent as always and is at her best in pressure situations. She wants to excel and advance in the worst way. Mariko's game will be perfect for Stanford, with the long rough and fast greens she should do great."
COURSE INFORMATION: The Stanford Golf Course will play to a par of 72 over 6,159 yards. The format includes 54 holes of medal and team play. Tee times begin at 7:30 a.m. each day from the first and 10th tees. Admission and parking for the tournament are free. Eight teams and two individuals will advance from each region. The championships finals will be held at Grand National Lake Course, Opelika, Alabama, hosted by Auburn University on May 18-21.
LIVESTATS: Results will be posted on GolfStat's live scoring page and continue throughout the event. Visit www.golfstat.com for live scoring updates.
2003 RESULTS: USC won last year's West Regional with an 873 followed by Oklahoma State (880). Rounding out the top five were UCLA (892), Pepperdine (894), Arizona State (902) and Ohio State (902). San Francisco finished six strokes shy of advancing to nationals placing ninth with a 911.
UNLV's Sunny Oh won medalist honors carding a five-under par 211. USC's Tanya Dergal and Washington State's Kim Welch tied for second (213). Rounding out the top five individuals were USC's Becky Lucidi (217) and Washington's Lindsay Morgan (217).
