Sept. 11, 2002

The Lady Dons just returned from Fort Collins, Colorado, where they competed at the Ptarmigan/Ram Fall Classic. A year ago, on September 11, 2001, the team was about to tee off before the tragedy happened. Unable to fly back to San Francisco, the USF women's golf team, stayed away for 11 days.

All the members of the team remember how emotional it was to be together in this atmosphere.

Coach Sara Range recalls two particular moments. "One of the things I remember was pulling up on the exit. Sue Ewart [Long Beach's coach] and I just had gotten a coffee and were driving to the golf course, when we heard on the radio that the second tower got hit. We were a mile away from the golf. When we got there, I remember running out of the van, going to see the team and turning the TV on. I was concerned about how they were doing, especially the Scottish girls [seniors Susie Laing and Lyndsey Devenish] who were so far away from home. It was particularly hard for them."

"The second moment that is rooted in my memory," she continues, "is when we were standing on the sixth tee; my mom called me and said that the towers had fallen. Those two moments are full of emotions."

During the practice round, Senior Susie Laing recalls that she was on the 13th hole when she heard the Pentagon got hit.

This year, in remembrance, grace was played before the players teed off. Senior Lyndsey Devenish was particularly touched. "It was very emotional when the piper played 'Flower of Scotland.'"

The team also played a song that is now part of the Lady Don's trademark. "When we were in the van, we played Jimmy Eat World's song called 'Here you me' over and over again. Every time we listen to this song, we obviously remember 9-11," said coach Sara Range.

Junior Jordan Auten's memories came back on the driving range. "When we were hitting, all the emotions from last year came back. It was a poignant moment."

"During this past weekend, I thought about 9-11, and how shocked we all were," said senior Lisa Chen. "I even had a dream, recalling the horrible scenes that I saw on the news of the plan crashes. I just kept wishing it would never happen again "

In all the horribleness, Coach Sara Range also remembers that this event brought everyone together. "It was an incredible road trip. The team and I were away for 11 days. It was hard to know that the three players who did not travel were by themselves at home. I felt it was not right. We are a team and it's in this kind of moment that we need to be united."

Today the women's golf team attended the Mass of the Holy Spirit, which they were unable to attend last year.

Coach Range said, "I am glad that we were here for the Mass this year. It was nice to be together as a community, not only athletes, but the faculty, staff, the students and the university as a whole."

The Women's golf team observed remembrance and sympathized with the victims' families. Coach Sara Range added, "I think about the women who were pregnant on September 11, and who lost their husbands. I was pregnant at the time; now I have Emma, and I can't imagine what it could be like for these women."