SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Excitement for a new era of women's golf surrounds Santa Clara University's season-opening event at Colorado State's Ptarmigan Ram Fall Classic on Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 12-13 in Fort Collins, Colo.

The 2011-12 season marks the first full campaign under Bronco head coach Krystal Kelly, who was promoted to lead the program this spring. Kelly has brought in four new student-athletes to compliment four experienced returners, including All-West Coast Conference players, senior Tamara Surtees (pictured) and sophomore Taylor Camany.

"The challenge for us right now is, we have only had three days of practice," said Kelly, referring to the fact her student-athletes arrived back on campus earlier this week. "The team is still getting to know each other both on and off the course. Ultimately, I hope to see the players be decisive out on the course. It something we've been working on throughout the last six months. We've talked a lot about expectations and goals, but if they just focus on the task at hand, the outcome will be success."

Kelly will have to find a way to replace the loss of graduated senior Miki Ueoka, who was the team's No. 1 player and a past NCAA tournament qualifier. Surtees and Camany are the most experienced returners on SCU's current roster, however junior transfer Balbina Guajardo enjoyed an excellent 2010-11 season at Houston Baptist, where she was named the 2011 Great West Conference 'Player of the Year'.

"The program is going through a huge transition right now," said Kelly. "I like to call it Women's Golf 2.0; new and improved. We have added four new players to the roster, a few new events to our schedule and we have a new practice facility. The team will now be practicing at Cinnabar Hills in San Jose. Its a great facility that will help the girls challenge their games and help them become a little bit more creative on the course."

Kelly is trying to give this team all the tools they need to succeed. The 2011-12 season begins in Fort Collins, followed by Cal Poly's Firestone Grill Invitational Oct. 2-3. Santa Clara will then host the second-annual Colby Invitational at Silver Creek Valley Country Club in San Jose Oct. 24-25.

Santa Clara's 2011-12 Player Notes:
** Casey Briggs (FR, Beaverton, Ore.) - First Team All-Metro Conference at Jesuit High School where she served as captain as a senior
** Taylor Camany (SO, Salinas, Calif.) - All-WCC Honorable Mention as a true freshman
** Balbina Guajardo (JR, Monterrey, Mexico) - Led Houston Baptist to back-to-back GWC titles, finishing fourth overall at the 2011 GWC Championships
** Kaci McCartan (FR, Plano, Tex.) - Finished among the state's top ten in each of her four prep seasons at Ursuline Academy
** Morgan McClure (SO, Tucson, Ariz.) – Transfer from Louisville where she redshirted as a true freshman and played in one tournament in 2010-11
** Kelsy O'Brien (SR, Federal Way, Wash.) - Finished strong last season, tying for 22^nd at the 2011 WCC Championships
** Brooke Stephens (SO, Durham, Calif.) – Competed in seven of SCU's nine events as a true freshman
** Tamara Surtees (SR, Waikoloa, Hawaii) - Three-time All-WCC honoree and 2010 SCU Colby Invitational individual champion