Womens golf preps for nationals

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By James Hornett, April 10, 2010

"This was a good match for us since this was the first 18-hole round that we’ve played this spring," head coach Roger Lundy said. "Our score matches what our team average has been so it was nice to knock the rust off and get back into the competition mode we’ll need to have the rest of the spring season as we prepare for the national championship."

 

The Grizzlies came up short against the NJCAA Division I Lady Raiders by five strokes, 336 to 341. The Raiders occupied four of the top five spots on the leader board.

 

"Each player has been trying to improve in areas that will help them be successful in the future," Lundy said. "I see improvement in all of our young players and that is a testament to the long term success of the program."

 

The Grizzlies have three more matches before the trip down to Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., where they will compete for the NCAA Division III National Championship.

 

They competed Thursday at the Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel for the Big 4 Classic. The Big 4 consists of Franklin, Hanover College, DePauw University and Butler University.

The women will also participate in the Ted Katula Memorial Tournament – hosted by DePauw University – at Twin Bridges Golf Club, in honor of the former DePauw golf coach and athletic director who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Katula passed away on Feb. 19 after a six year battle with the disease.

 

The Grizzlies will host the Franklin College Lady Grizzly Spring Invitational on April 24-25 before taking of for Florida and the national championship on May 11-14.

 

"I know that we’ll not finish worse than 20th in the country," Lundy said. "If we finish higher than that it will be because of all the hard work these girls have put in throughout the year and in the offseason."

 

Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C., is the 10-year reigning champion of the tournament.

 

"I think every team that is in the tournament will have the same attitude," Lundy said. "That is, if we take care or our own business and play for each other, we have a chance to be successful."

 

The Grizzlies last competed in the Division III tournament in 2008, when they finished 19th.

"I don’t have any expectations other than that we’ll be going to do our best [and] represent Franklin College and the HCAC to the best of our abilities," Lundy said.