Feb. 21, 2002
In recent years, Northwestern women's golf coach Chris Regenberg has mentioned, more than once, that the Wildcat program continues to "raise the bar."
And if she uses that cliche when discussing her 2001-02 squad, by all means, let her.
Four of Northwestern's top five golfers return from last year's team, which was nationally ranked and finished a best-ever second place at the Big Ten Championships. In addition, Regenberg signed highly touted siblings of two returning letterwinners, Ina Kim and Mary Ellen Grzebien, to strengthen an already talented and deep lineup.
"The progression is definitely continuing," says Regenberg. "This is the strongest team we've assembled. And the strength lies not only in the mechanics of the players.
"They have competed at high levels, both nationally, and some of them, internationally. It's a team where we have tremendous depth. Our number-six player could very likely go to a tournament and finish as our number-one player at the end of three or four rounds."
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this year's Wildcat team is that Regenberg could be coaching her best Northwestern team with just one senior on the squad.
"We definitely have strength in our younger players," she says. "I'm really proud of the way they have evolved, even though they're young. We've made great strides with the leadership of our senior captain Emily Gilley. The team plays as though it's more mature and experienced than perhaps the grade levels shown. By the time our freshman and sophomore classes matriculate to their senior years, they're going to be an great team."
While it is easy to get excited about NU's talented youngsters, Gilley is the Wildcats' leader and most experienced performer. A three-time All-Big Ten honoree, Gilley is the most decorated player in Northwestern golf history. She is attempting to become just the sixth player in Big Ten history to garner four All-Big Ten citations. Gilley owns two of the top four individual rounds (69 and 70) and two of the top four 54-hole tournament scores (218 and 222) in NU history.
"Emily is the hardest working and most competitive player I've ever coached," says Regenberg. "She continues to stay very focused on being one of the top players in the country. She's working harder than ever this year."
The Wildcats' other experienced veteran is junior Elizabeth Burden. A two-time All-Big Ten selection, Burden finished one stroke behind Gilley after 34 rounds of golf last year.
"Elizabeth has really improved on a steady basis and continues to get physically stronger, which is helping her game," Regenberg says. "She is still evolving mechanically and gaining a great deal of confidence."
Outside of Gilley and Burden, the remainder of the Wildcats' "top six" are sophomores and freshmen. Interestingly, those other four players are sister combinations--Hana and Ina Kim, and Lauren and Mary Ellen Grzebien.
Hana, a sophomore, finished a strong third on last year's stroke average (77.57) list, and continues to improve her overall game. Already this year, she fired a round of 68, the best ever by an NU player, at the 2001 Big 12 Invitational.
"Hana has tremendous raw mechanical talent," says Regenberg. "She is an incredibly powerful player. Hana has the ability to get her round under par. We're trying to have her sustain that throughout an entire tourney."
Her sister, Ina, is perhaps the most talented player that Regenberg has recruited. After three events in the fall, Ina averaged a team-best 75.4 strokes per round and shot less than an 80 in all but one round. Before she began her collegiate career, Golf World ranked her as one of the nation's top 50 college players to watch.
"Ina's a great player," says Regenberg. "She's real solid in terms of consistency. Her improvement will come with just getting some physical strength. Her mental competitiveness is a great asset."
Lauren Grzebien moved into the Wildcats' starting rotation as a freshman and completed her first year with a 79.6 stroke average. She finished as the Wildcats' second-best golfer on three occasions, which included the season's final event, the NCAA East Regional in Chapel Hill, N.C.
"Lauren has a tremendous short game," says Regenberg. "We're trying to get more length in her game. She's real steady mentally. I look for her to really improve in the next couple years."
Lauren's younger sister, Mary Ellen, has a great junior background, similar to Ina Kim. She competed in two events during the fall and finished 31st at the Lady Northern.
"Mary Ellen is highly competitive and has a great demeanor on the golf course," Regenberg says. "She is a serious, steady player. She is going to become one of the top players in the Big Ten and be recognized nationally."
Three other players add depth to the Wildcats' talented roster: junior Erin Breslin, sophomore Helen Killarney and freshman Camela Rao.
"Erin hasn't seen any competition yet, but continues to improve," says Regenberg. "She's an important part of this team when it comes to cohesiveness and team unity.
"Helen is actually going to take a hiatus from the program this spring. She has great work ethic, though, and has made tremendous strides.
"Camela came to us as a late walk-on and has great distance and strength. We're trying to improve her game management skills."
With all the talent Regenberg has assembled, it appears that timing could determine how far the bar climbs for the Wildcats in 2002.
"We have a team where anyone can take it really low, scoring-wise," she says. "We just need to get everyone on the same page at the same time. When everyone is having a good day, we'll be hard to beat."
'Cats Open the Spring Season at Central District Classic in Florida
Northwestern, ranked 16th in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin Collegiate ranking, will defend its team title at the Central District Classic in Parrish, Fla., on Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 25-26. The tournament is being held at the River Wilderness Country Club, a 6,113-yard, par-72 course.
The Wildcats face some stiff competition in their spring season opening event. Besides Northwestern, five other teams are ranked in this week's top-25 poll: Ohio State (No. 6), Michigan State (No. 13), Michigan (No. 14), Kent State (No. 22) and Purdue (No. 24). A total of 14 teams are in the field. Other entrants include: Baylor, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas A&M and Texas Tech.
Play begins with 36 holes on Monday. The tournament concludes with 18 holes on Tuesday. Competition begins each day at 8 a.m. EST with a shotgun start.