Bobcats Host Home Golf Tourney at Riverside Sept. 7-8
9/3/2010 9:25:09 AM | Women's Golf
Montana State head golf coach Leslie Spalding has high expectations for her young squad this fall. Last year, the team was made up mostly of freshmen and sophomores, but now they have a season or two under their belts. Spalding expects that experience to pay off on the course.
“I'm expecting a big change this year in them getting better,” Spalding said. “We are returning all our starters from last year which is new for us. I expect a lot of competition within the team to see who goes to each meet, and that competition will carry through.”
Those returning starters include sophomore Melisa Hultstrand (Gilbert, AZ) who led the team at last year's Big Sky Conference Championships placing eighth. Also returning this fall is last year's other top scorer, sophomore Molly Dorans (Erie, CO). Hulstrand shot a 228 at the BSC championships and Doran's low round of 2009-10 was a 228 at the Gonzaga Invite in the fall.
Players who did not compete last season but are returning include sophomore Pamela Calderon Rojas (San Jose, Costa Rica) and redshirt freshman Erin King (Billings).
Spalding is also looking forward to the addition of two highly-touted freshman golfers, Ashleigh Ogolin (Butte) and Paige Crawford (Colorado Springs, CO). Ogolin is the 2009 Montana class AA champion and Crawford is a multiple Metro League champ and was rated in the top 20 high school golfers as a junior.
The Bobcats revive an old tradition next week by hosting the Bobcat Open at Riverside Country Club in Bozeman. MSU hasn't had a home golf meet since 2002, but has hosted an annual spring tourney in the Phoenix area for many years since. Six schools will be at the meet including MSU, University of Memphis, Cal State Fullerton, Utah Valley University, Idaho State and University of Portland. The tourney includes 18 holes each day and the public is welcome to watch.
