Feb. 16, 2007
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern knows what it takes to win. The Wildcats' top six players have all been to the postseason in their collegiate careers, most of them more than once. This year, they want more.
The 'Cats main goal for the spring is a return to the NCAA Championships, where they have not been since 2000. After a fall that included a team title, an individual title and two top-three team finishes in only four events, the Wildcats have proven they have the necessary tools to turn their goal into reality.
"This team's experiences have given them the motivation," head coach Chris Regenberg says. "This team is not naïve about what it takes and they are on a mission to achieve."
The Wildcats' experience proved its worth this fall. They took home both the team and individual titles at the Lady Paladin, one year after they finished fifth in the same event. They also improved on last year's seventh-place finish at the Lady Northern, claiming second place in 2006.
These improvements paid dividends in the rankings, with the 'Cats as high as No. 16 in the Golfweek rankings before finishing the fall as the 28th-ranked team in the country.
While experience has helped the Wildcats' cause, such a high ranking was not achieved by experience alone; Northwestern's current group of golfers is arguably its most talented ever.
The top five returning golfers for the 'Cats currently have career stroke averages that rank in Northwestern's top nine all-time, and nine of the top 16 rounds in NU history have been played by current student-athletes. When you combine returning talent with a newcomer who happens to be a former conference champion, the Wildcats believe this is their year.
Once again, the Wildcats are led by senior Alice Kim, who, after this season will leave NU's women's golf program as the most decorated golfer in the program's 14-year history. Kim has close to a 2-stroke lead in career stroke average over the next closest Wildcat and has earned second-team All-Big Ten honors the past two years.
"Alice can win any tournament she appears in," Regenberg says. "She is a tremendous talent who can play head-to-head with any tour player."
Kim led the 'Cats with a 75.08 stroke average during the fall and claimed the second individual title of her collegiate career. She led wire-to-wire at the Lady Paladin and helped Northwestern take home the team title, as well. The senior's first individual title came at last year's Big Ten Championships, where she also led wire-to-wire and set 36- and 54-hole scoring records.
Close on Kim's heels this fall was Northwestern's key newcomer, Liliana Alvarez. Alvarez, who claimed the 2004 Conference USA championship, joined Northwestern this fall with one year of eligibility remaining after Tulane canceled its women's golf program in the fall of 2005.
"Liliana is a great positive motivator and an outstanding player," Regenberg says.
Alvarez proved this fall that she will be a reliable cog in the Wildcat lineup, finishing no worse than 14th in three fall events. She finished the fall with 75.89 stroke average, the second lowest for NU.
Although she did not play her best in the fall, Regenberg believes that sophomore Jennifer Hong has the ability to match Kim and Alvarez's level of play.
"Jennifer is ready to break into the top three in individual finishes at tournaments," Regenberg says. "She is becoming more patient on the golf course."
Hong's importance to this year's squad was clear at the Lady Paladin, as she recorded a top-10 finish to help the 'Cats take home the team title. The sophomore finished the fall with a 77.00 scoring average, third best on the Wildcats.
Another pivotal player for the 'Cats is junior Brittany Johnston. Throughout her career, Johnston has shown the ability to go low. This fall was no different, as she came out of the gates on fire, recording back-to-back top-10 finishes in the first two events of the fall.
"Brittany hits the ball very long but needs to develop a little more consistency for us this spring," says Regenberg.
The Wildcats also have last year's team captain back for one more go-around. Senior Heather Scholten has stepped into the role of team leader and embraced it. While she fills this all-important role for the 'Cats, her abilities go beyond her leadership skills. She has proven she can provide the solid score that Regenberg is looking for at the back of the lineup.
"Heather is the glue of the team," Regenberg says. "We need her to be consistent for us to succeed."
The final regular in the Northwestern lineup is junior Katie Trachok. Trachok played in all four fall events for the 'Cats and has shown she can be relied upon. Her best finish of the fall came at the Lady Northern, where she earned a tie for 19th.
"Katie is a very straight ball-striker, which helps us out on tight layouts," Regenberg says.
Rounding out the roster for the Wildcats are juniors Justina Yu and Kerry Burke, sophomore Whitney Siehl and freshman Megan Trachok. Regenberg likes what she sees in all four of their games, especially Yu, and believes they can contribute when the situation requires it.
This experienced and talented squad heads south to begin the spring with three tournaments in February and March that will prepare them for their April tournaments against Big Ten rivals and other Midwest foes. The Wildcats' experience also will prove valuable in the spring with the Big Ten Championships being played in East Lansing, Mich. -- the exact same course where the Wildcats played the Lady Northern this fall. "We are one of the six teams with the striking power to win the Big Ten Championships," says Regenberg.
Further down the road, another course the Wildcats are familiar with could ultimately determine their NCAA Championships fate. This year's NCAA Central Regional Championships are being played in Ann Arbor, Mich., on the course where the 'Cats took home a top-three finish in the Wolverine Invitational this fall.
Considering the Wildcats' combination of talent and ability to turn experience into results, the 'Cats could be a dangerous team this spring. If this happens, the Wildcats can compete with anyone and attain their goal of putting the Purple and White back in the NCAA Championships.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Northwestern, now ranked 25th in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin index, starts its spring campaign with a challenging tournament against some of the other top Central region teams in the Central District Invitational this coming Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 19-20 in Parrish, Fla.
The invitational features exclusively region teams, and many of the best teams in the Central region will be competing. Of the 15 competing teams, 12 are ranked in the top 50 of the latest Golfweek/Sagarin index, and five top-25 teams are participating: No. 20 Texas A&M, No. 22 Arkansas, No. 23 Michigan State, No. 24 LSU and the 25th-ranked 'Cats.
Rounding out the field are: No. 26 Ohio State, No. 34 SMU, No. 36 TCU, No. 40 Nebraska, No. 43 Michigan, No. 49 Baylor, No. 50 Missouri, No. 68 Notre Dame, No. 86 Tulsa and No. 106 Texas.
"The Central District Invitational is an important event for us in terms of regional selection opportunities," says Regenberg.
Last weekend the Wildcats participated in a training-trip dual in Florida. Regenberg saw many positive things during the trip that she believes the 'Cats will use to their advantage this weekend.
"We had six players go to Florida and had some quality practice which will give us a better foundation going into this week," she says. "The course was a typical Florida course, which should help us in this tournament."
Play at the Central District Invitational begins at 7 a.m. CT Monday with a shotgun start. The 'Cats begin play on holes 4-7.
Live scoring for the Central District Invitational can be found at Central District Invitational .