By, Brian Elser '10
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University women's golf team wrapped up the 2010 spring season last week with a third place finish at the WCC Championships. It was the sixth time in the past seven seasons that the Broncos have placed third of better at the conference championships.
The Broncos established a series of new program scoring records in 2009-10 and placed among the top 10 in four tournaments, knocking off many top teams along the way.
SCORING RECORDS
Santa Clara fired-off a sizzling 292 to open the Fresno State
Lexus Classic on March 1-2. The first round 292 marked the lowest
round in program history. SCU was led by junior All-West Coast
Conference player Miki
Ueoka who shot a three-under 69. Senior Erin
Sullivan shot an even-par 72, junior-transfer Lauren
Oh posted a two-over 74, and sophomores Tammy
Surtees and Jamie
Nonaka tied with a five-over par 77.
"My job as a coach had never been easier than on that day," said eighth-year SCU head coach Polly Schulze. "Each player was so focused on the moment, and working their pre and post shot routines like it was second nature to them. I was so proud to see them so composed out there."
It was only the fourth-time in program history that the Broncos have broken the 300 scoring mark. It was also the lowest 36 and 54-hole tournament scores that the Broncos have ever had by posting 305 and 308 in rounds two and three. Their tournament total of 905 beat the all-time 54-hole mark by a whopping eight shots!
Also at the Fresno State Lexus Classic on March 1-2, Santa Clara out-played three teams ranked higher in the national rankings: Nevada, Sacramento State, and Cal-Poly. They even tied top-50 team UC Irvine. It was indeed a tournament of note for the Broncos.
THE 2010 WCC'S
The Broncos placed third in wet and windy conditions at the
Hiddenbrooke Golf Club in Vallejo.
"It was windy and overcast on the second day, but the conditions didn't seem to be as tough as the first round," said Schulze. "Our first round on Monday (Mar. 19) was not so great but we finished solid in rounds two and three."
Ueoka posted a top-10 finish for the second straight year while Surtees also placed in the top-10. Both were honored with being named to the 2010 All-WCC First Team. It was the second straight first team award for Ueoka and the first for Surtees, who was named to the honorable mention squad last season. Nonaka posted a strong top-15 finish, which earned her All-WCC Honorable Mention honors as well.
"With Pepperdine and USF clear favorites out here, being ranked teams, coming out with a third place finish was important for us," said Schulze. "We were just eight shots off a second place finish today. Consistency will be a key for us as we move towards the goal of challenging for spot in the WCC's top two next season."
NEXT SEASON
Santa Clara will be losing three seniors this season in Kimberly
Bedolla, Erin
Sullivan and Jamie
Nonaka who has won two All-WCC Honorable Mention awards.
Although the Broncos will be losing three seniors, they will still
have a very experienced squad in senior's Miki
Ueoka and classmate Lauren
Oh, along with junior Tammy
Surtees. The Broncos will certainly be back and ready for the
fall season in 2010.
Women's All-WCC Team
Danielle Cvitanov, USF
Kaitlin Drolson, PEP
Katrina Hegge, USF
Danielle Kang, PEP
Taylore Karle, PEP
Lisa McCloskey, PEP
Christina Stockton, USF
Tammy
Surtees, SCU
Miki
Ueoka, SCU
Jessica Wallace, PEP
Honorable Mention
Stephanie Corey, GON
Rachael Fischer, POR
Jamie
Nonaka, SCU
Natasha Podmore, USF
Sage Suffecool, GON
