Hornets Picked First in Golf Poll
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OGDEN, Utah (Jan. 31, 2012) - The Sacramento State Hornets are a slight favorite to win the 2012 Big Sky Conference women’s golf championship.
David Sutherland’s Hornets drew the top spot in the 2012 coaches’ poll, which was released by the league office on Thursday. The Hornets garnered four first-place votes and 58 total points. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.
Northern Arizona earned two first-place votes and 55 total points. Two-time defending champion Portland State also received two first-place votes, and 52 total points. Montana, under the direction of first-year coach Emily Milberger, was selected fourth with one first-place vote and 48 total points.
Northern Colorado was selected fifth with 32 points, followed by Weber State (29), Montana State (27), Eastern Washington (15) and Idaho State (8)
The 54-hole 2012 Big Sky Conference Championship will be played April 22-24 at the Ocotillo Golf Resort in Chandler, Ariz. Portland State won last year’s championship with a tournament-record 880.
Sacramento State finished the fall season as the top Big Sky team, averaging 311.27 strokes per round. The Hornets are led by senior Julie Shutler and freshman Lexie Hall. Shutler, tied for ninth at last years championship when the Hornets finished fifth. Hall averaged 78.07 shots per round in the fall season. Shutler averaged 76.82 strokes per round in the fall.
Northern Arizona, which placed second at last year’s championship with an 891, is led by junior Stephanie Kim, who claimed medalist honors at the 2010 championship, and finished tied for 16th in 2011. Northern Arizona sophomore Kaitlen Parsons averaged 76.27 strokes per round in the fall, and tied for ninth at last year’s championship.
Portland State figures to be in the mix for a third straight championship with the return of junior Britney Yada and senior tiffany Schoning. Yada claimed individual medalist honors at the Big Sky Championship in 2011, firing a six-under-par 210 to shatter the tournament record. Schoning has finished in the top 10 each of the past two seasons. She averaged 76.25 strokes per round in the fall and finished in the top five at two tournaments.
Montana had the best scoring average of any Big Sky team in the fall at 310.50 strokes per round. Junior Olivia Weber paced the Griz in the fall with a scoring average of 76.21.
Northern Colorado also has a veteran group returning with senior Ali Nelson, the 2009 Big Sky championship, and sisters Carleigh and Chelsea Silvers. Carleigh Silvers finished third at last year’s championship. Nelson was eighth.
Portland State and Northern Arizona open the fall season Feb. 5-7 at the Arizona Wildcat Invitational in Tucson, Ariz.
2012 Women’s Golf Preseason Poll
| School (First-Place Votes |
Total Points |
| Sacramento State (4) |
58 |
| Northern Arizona (2) |
55 |
| Portland State (2) |
52 |
| Montana (1) |
48 |
| Northern Colorado |
32 |
| Weber State |
29 |
| Montana State |
27 |
| Eastern Washington |
15 |
| Idaho State |
8 |