SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The Santa Clara women's golf team opens its fall season Monday competing in the 12-team Hobble Creek Fall Classic. The field will play 54-holes over two days on the 6,032 yard, par-71 Hobble Creek Golf Course in Springville, Utah.
Santa Clara joins tournament co-hosts Utah Valley and BYU, along with Cal State Bakersfield, Grand Canyon, Idaho State, Montana, Montana State, New Mexico State, Northern Arizona, Southern Utah and Weber State to make up the field at the second annual event.
After claiming three team titles last season, the Broncos will look to build off the momentum of one of the finest seasons in program history. They will do it with a roster that has gotten younger and deeper, according to fifth-year head coach Krystal Kelly.
"We have a young, energetic squad that is looking forward to playing this season," Kelly said. "Our team has tremendous depth and our roster has the potential to change from week to week."
Last year's West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year Annie Freman (Las Vegas, Nev./Faith Lutheran) is the lone sophomore on the squad and is joined by four first-year players, including local product Kyleigh Moreno (San Jose, Calif./Archbishop Mitty), Taylor Gentzkow (Winnetka, Ill./Loyola Academy), Kristin Le (Aiea, Hawaii/Punahou School) and Isabella Salant (Carlsbad, Calif./Pacific Ridge).
As one of the most decorated first year players in program history, Freman played a large role in the team's success last season. She became the first Santa Clara women's golfer to be named the WCC's Freshman of the Year and was selected to the All-WCC Team. Her 74.19 stroke average was a team record and she tied a record with three individual titles competing in all 11 events.
Another key returning player is senior Kaci McCartan (Plano, Tex./Ursuline Academy), a two-time WCC All-Academic team selection who ranked behind only Freman in stroke average (76.71) and earned her first collegiate tournament win last year.
Juniors Ashley Noda (Roseville, Calif./St. Francis), Monique Riley (Pleasanton, Calif. / Amador Valley) and Meghan Shain (Bakersfield, Calif./Frontier) were all contributors last season and will be expected to player a bigger role this season. Casey Briggs (Portland, Ore./Jesuit) is the only other upperclassman on the squad.
The Broncos opened last season at the same tournament and placed sixth in the 13-team field. Freman, playing in her first collegiate tournament, was the team's top individual finisher placing in a tie for ninth.
First year player Salant will join Freman, Noda, Riley and Shain to make up the Broncos' five-player team. Kristin Le will compete as an individual, according to Coach Kelly.
Live scoring will not be available for this tournament. Results will be posted on santaclarabroncos.com at the completion of each day.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Tournament: Hobble Creek Fall Classic
Dates (Site): Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 8-9 (Springville, Utah)
Hosts: Utah Valley University and Brigham Young University
Field (12 teams/20 individuals): BYU, Cal State Bakersfield, Grand Canyon, Idaho State, Montana, Montana State, New Mexico State, Northern Arizona, Santa Clara, Southern Utah, Utah Valley and Weber State
Details: The field will play 36 holes on Monday and the final 18 holes on Tuesday. Both days competition will begin with a shotgun start at 7:30 a.m. (PT).
Course: Hobble Creek Golf Course
Yardage/Par: 6,032-yards/Par 71
Course Website: www.springville.org/golf
Course Number: (801) 489-6297
Live Scoring: No live scoring for this tournament.
