MSU Golfers Bring High Expectations to Spring Season
2/8/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Three of the Bobcat golfers returning from the 2005-06 squad competed at last year’s conference championship. That core of returnees includes juniors Kelly Gillum and Stephanie Simmons, and sophomore LaRae Smith. Gillum finished the fall season with an average of 77, Smith was at 79, and Simmons averaged 81.
“These three played the most rounds last year and the most rounds this fall, so they are the group we are looking to,” Basye said. “We’ve got a great young team with huge potential.”
In the fall season, sophomore Shannon Donnegan and junior Kate Steffanich filled out the top five consistently. Basye points out there is a lot of talent at the fifth through eighth positions on the squad.
“We have three golfers that are really close that could see a lot of action with Steffanich, sophomore Tessa Stevenson, and Hillary Folkvord all in the mix,” Basye said. “All in all, I am really excited about this whole group. They’ll all see some action, but what I’ve told them is that I’m looking for five that I can take to conference.”
Basye has one freshman on the squad, Alice Nelsen from Albuquerque, New Mexico, that will redshirt this season.
Gillum became the first MSU golfer to earn All-Big Sky honors last spring since 2001. She led the field after the first two rounds of the 2006 Big Sky conference Championships and ended up in fifth place, leading the team to a sixth place finish. Gillum was the most consistent performer during the fall season as well, leading the Bobcats in all but one event.
The Bobcat golfers kick off the spring with a trip to the UC-Riverside “Lady Braveheart” at the Oak Valley Golf Club in Beaumont, California. The invite boasts a 14-team field that includes conference opponent Sacramento State.
“We didn’t get a chance to see Sac State in the fall season at all,” Basye said, “so this will be kind of fun to see what they’re bringing to the table as well.”
Following the UC event, the Bobcats will get a chance to see the rest of the conference field at the Northern Arizona Invite. But Basye is the first to admit that seeing the rest of the conference isn’t as important as playing the courses. “In golf, it’s just you against the course, you’re not going head-to-head against other players,” Basye said. “Our biggest advantage this year is that our golfers have seen these courses before, and they know what they’re up against.”
The ‘Cats have an advantage going into the conference tourney in that it will be played on their “home” course, Palm Valley Golf Club at Goodyear, Arizona. The ‘Cats host two events at that course in March.
“It’s like a home court advantage for us. Our girls have that course memorized, as it is the site of our annual Bobcat Desert Classic” Basye said. “They can just concentrate on every hole, every shot, because they know the course. This is the last year for a while the conference tourney will be there, so this is our year to get it done. Gillum had an outstanding conference tournament there last year, so I have high hopes for this year.”
Looking at the conference race, Basye said Montana and Eastern Washington will be tough this year. Also, Sacramento State has the advantage of having a longer practice season than the rest of the conference teams.
“Everybody has to play well at every meet,” Basye said. “We’ve been doing a lot of work on mental toughness over the fall and winter, so I hope to see some fruit from that work.”
The ‘Cats have added some specific reading and journaling to their normal practice regime as well as working with a biomechanics trainer over the winter. Basye wants to address every aspect of the golfing game in their training, and believes this added focus will train the golfers to be able to self-correct easier on the course during an event.
The Big Sky Conference Championships will be held at Goodyear, Arizona April 16-17.
“These three played the most rounds last year and the most rounds this fall, so they are the group we are looking to,” Basye said. “We’ve got a great young team with huge potential.”
In the fall season, sophomore Shannon Donnegan and junior Kate Steffanich filled out the top five consistently. Basye points out there is a lot of talent at the fifth through eighth positions on the squad.
“We have three golfers that are really close that could see a lot of action with Steffanich, sophomore Tessa Stevenson, and Hillary Folkvord all in the mix,” Basye said. “All in all, I am really excited about this whole group. They’ll all see some action, but what I’ve told them is that I’m looking for five that I can take to conference.”
Basye has one freshman on the squad, Alice Nelsen from Albuquerque, New Mexico, that will redshirt this season.
Gillum became the first MSU golfer to earn All-Big Sky honors last spring since 2001. She led the field after the first two rounds of the 2006 Big Sky conference Championships and ended up in fifth place, leading the team to a sixth place finish. Gillum was the most consistent performer during the fall season as well, leading the Bobcats in all but one event.
The Bobcat golfers kick off the spring with a trip to the UC-Riverside “Lady Braveheart” at the Oak Valley Golf Club in Beaumont, California. The invite boasts a 14-team field that includes conference opponent Sacramento State.
“We didn’t get a chance to see Sac State in the fall season at all,” Basye said, “so this will be kind of fun to see what they’re bringing to the table as well.”
Following the UC event, the Bobcats will get a chance to see the rest of the conference field at the Northern Arizona Invite. But Basye is the first to admit that seeing the rest of the conference isn’t as important as playing the courses. “In golf, it’s just you against the course, you’re not going head-to-head against other players,” Basye said. “Our biggest advantage this year is that our golfers have seen these courses before, and they know what they’re up against.”
The ‘Cats have an advantage going into the conference tourney in that it will be played on their “home” course, Palm Valley Golf Club at Goodyear, Arizona. The ‘Cats host two events at that course in March.
“It’s like a home court advantage for us. Our girls have that course memorized, as it is the site of our annual Bobcat Desert Classic” Basye said. “They can just concentrate on every hole, every shot, because they know the course. This is the last year for a while the conference tourney will be there, so this is our year to get it done. Gillum had an outstanding conference tournament there last year, so I have high hopes for this year.”
Looking at the conference race, Basye said Montana and Eastern Washington will be tough this year. Also, Sacramento State has the advantage of having a longer practice season than the rest of the conference teams.
“Everybody has to play well at every meet,” Basye said. “We’ve been doing a lot of work on mental toughness over the fall and winter, so I hope to see some fruit from that work.”
The ‘Cats have added some specific reading and journaling to their normal practice regime as well as working with a biomechanics trainer over the winter. Basye wants to address every aspect of the golfing game in their training, and believes this added focus will train the golfers to be able to self-correct easier on the course during an event.
The Big Sky Conference Championships will be held at Goodyear, Arizona April 16-17.
Wednesday, June 10
Friday, March 27
Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
