Wake Forest Athletics
Women's Golf Spring Preview
2/18/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Feb. 18, 2004
Momentum and improvement from the fall are what the Wake Forest women's golf team hopes to carry into the challenging 2004 spring season.
This year, head coach Dianne Dailey and the team are focused on earning a berth in the NCAA Championships in Opelika, Ala. The roster includes seven veterans and three freshmen who enhance the strong tradition of Wake Forest women's golf.
The Demon Deacons return three starters from last year's team, including senior Deb Means and juniors Ashley Hoagland and Christine Hallstrom. Junior Lesley Jamieson and the sophomore trio of Joy Juskowich, Julie McKenna and Sasha Suzuki are all experienced players who are looking to break into the starting lineup.
Joining the veterans are three freshmen who have already contributed to the team during the fall season. Jessica Castle, Mandy Goins, and Maggie Simons all started at one point during the fall. They accounted for 21 of the 54 rounds (39 percent) of golf played in team competition.
Although the team is young, Dailey believes the Deacs will mesh into a strong unit. The results are already apparent as WFU improved in each event in the fall season. In the Fall Preview, the team finished 17th before battling back two weeks later to finish eighth in the Mason Rudolph Championship. The Deacs closed out the season fifth and tied for fourth at the Franklin Street Partners and ACC/SEC Challenge, respectively.
"Our team improved with every event and we plan to keep that momentum going for the spring," Dailey said. "We are a young squad, with only one senior, but we have the ability and experience to play with the top teams."
Wake Forest will have to deal with the loss of 2003 graduates Maria Beautell, Nuria Clau, and Caroline Stetler. Clau, who finished last season ranked ninth nationally, was a second-team All American and the ACC Player of the Year. Beautell followed Clau in scoring while Stetler played in three events this past season.
Wake Forest filled these vacancies with a number of different people throughout the fall. Dailey used the three freshmen and McKenna to fill in the two vacancies. However, Dailey believes that every player on the team is good enough to earn a start through qualifying.
"Even though we have lost two accomplished players to graduation, the returning starters have stepped their play up a notch and the freshmen have come in ready to play," she said.
Wake will rely heavily on its returning starters to guide the team back to the NCAA Championship. As the lone senior, Means will be responsible for providing leadership, both on and off the course. She has shaved nearly two strokes off her average from last season. As the captain, she will need to facilitate growth in the younger players and post strong scores. Dailey believes that Means is a major part of the success that the team achieved in the fall.
"Deb's improved play was key in our three top 10 finishes in the fall. In addition, she has provided our team with strong leadership as our captain."
Hoagland, a junior, will play an important role as well. She begins the spring as Wake Forest's number one player after achieving a team-low 75.11 scoring average in the fall. She also has the experience of competing in numerous amateur events including the U.S. Women's Amateur, the North/South and the Dixie Amateur.
Hoagland was one of 64 players to make the cut in the U.S. Women's Amateur last summer, advancing to the second round of match play. She was also one of 32 players to make the cut in the North/South. Her added experience and improvement should provide the team with a strong No. 1 player.
"Ashley had a good fall and an impressive fourth place finish in the Dixie Amateur over Christmas break," Dailey said. "She's been a workhorse for us. She is an extremely hard worker and sets a good example for others on the team."
The other junior starter, Hallstrom, established herself as a full-time starter after a successful 2002-2003 campaign and a strong fall. Hallstrom improved her average by a couple strokes from last year and earned two top 20 finishes in the fall. Consistency is an added aspect to her game that will be an important factor in WFU's success in the spring.
According to Dailey, "Christine has improved her game significantly from last year, particularly her short game. She is one of three players with a 75 stroke average and her overall consistency is helping our team's balanced scoring."
Another player who worked her way into the starting lineup this fall is Goins. The freshman started every tournament and had the second lowest stroke average during the fall. She led the team at the Mason Rudolph with a 17th place finish in her second collegiate event.
"Mandy came in and made an impact right away. She has made remarkable improvement in her game in the last year and I expect her to win tournaments in the near future," Dailey said.
Castle and Simons, who round out the freshman class, both have stepped up and performed well in their first fall season. The duo played in two team events each in the fall.
Castle did well in her debut at the Mason Rudolph and was awarded another starting position the next weekend. After two solid rounds, she suffered a rib injury and had to withdraw from the tournament. Although Castle was unable to practice the rest of the fall, she looks to come back strong in the spring.
Dailey said, "Jessica has made significant improvement in her swing over the winter break and I expect her to compete this spring. She has also worked hard on her short game and her overall game should be back on track."
Simons competed in two events and placed 35th in the ACC/SEC Challenge. She continues to develop her game and uses her distance drives as a weapon, especially on the par 5s. Dailey was impressed with her improvement over the fall.
"Maggie stepped right into the lineup this fall and played two events. She made a tremendous amount of improvement over the semester and is poised for a good spring."
McKenna is the only other player who succeeded in breaking into the starting lineup. She has great distance on her shot and, if she becomes more consistent, can produce low scores and be a major factor for the team. Dailey believes McKenna has the potential to become a permanent starter in the future.
"Julie has the ability to be an excellent player and is making the commitment to do whatever she can to improve," she said.
Although the other players on the team did not compete in any team events in the fall, each has the talent and skills to qualify in the spring. Jamieson is one of the players making a strong push for playing time this spring. She played in one junior varsity event in the fall, finishing in a tie for ninth place.
"That performance should give Lesley the confidence she needs to break into the starting lineup," Dailey said. "She has the ability to play well and has made a lot of improvement in her swing. She is definitely capable of shooting low scores."
Juskowich also competed in the junior varsity event and tied for 37th. Although she has seen limited action, Dailey believes that she will continue to improve. Suzuki was unable to play in the fall due to an illness but has continued to work hard on her game and improve her scores.
While each individual has set her own personal goals, Dailey has also established some team benchmarks as well.
"What we need as a team is to average under 300," she said. "We need to have one or two players shoot par or better each round. If we can improve upon that this spring, we can think about breaking into the top 10 in the country. These are lofty but very attainable goals."
These accomplishments are very feasible as the team is growing in maturity due to the experience on the course and hard work at the practice range. The players have been very attentive to their short game and that dedication has paid off. The Deacons are currently ranked third in the nation in overall short game.
Other aspects the team has concentrated on is course management, shot selection and the mental game. The players have gotten extra attention this year since the hiring of assistant coach Stephanie Harner.
Harner was a four-time All-American at Wake Forest before playing in numerous tours around the world. Harner knows the campus and what it is like to be a Division I athlete. As a result, she understands the demands of being a student-athlete at WFU and can relate well to the players. She is also a great asset because she provides help on swings as well as the mental aspect of the game.
"With Stephanie coaching, we are able to accomplish so much more in practice and spend quality time with the students on the range and course," said Dailey. She added that, "Harner is the ideal representative of our program and the University. Our program will only prosper with her assistance."
Dailey believes this year's team has the ability to step up and earn a spot in the NCAA Championships. The fall was the foundation and a building block for a challenging spring that lies ahead. The improvements were dramatic and the Demon Deacons are hoping to carry the momentum forward.
"The players learned a lot about their swings and themselves. This team has worked harder than ever on conditioning and has gotten much stronger physically. That will help us on those hot days at the NCAA's," Dailey said.
Wake Forest will open up the spring season at the Lady Puerto Rico Invitational, Feb. 22-24. The team will follow that up with the Lady Gamecock Classic in Columbia, S.C., March 12-14. The Deacons will remain in the south for the Liz Murphey Collegiate in Athens, Ga., March 26-28.
Once again, Wake Forest and UNC Greensboro will co-host the Bryan National Collegiate April 2-4 at Bryan Park in Browns Summit, N.C. The event will be the last regular season tuneup before they go to nearby Clemmons, N.C. for the ACC Championship, April 16-18.
The Deacons will face top notch opponents all season long. In the Bryan National alone, the field includes ten teams that placed among the top 17 of the NCAA Championships last May, including current number one Duke.
Overall, the 2003-2004 women's golf team looks to continue their momentum from the fall and add on to the history and tradition of Wake Forest golf with their own success.
Players Mentioned
