LINK – ASHLAND UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S GOLF PAGE
IN 2015-16: Finished third at the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship and tied for fourth at the Super Region 1…Senior Ali Green was medalist at both the GLIAC and Super Region 1 tournaments.
2016-17 OUTLOOK: Eagles will look to send at least one golfer to nationals for the sixth time in seven years with almost every player in a new role.
In his third season, Ashland University head women's golf coach Kory Oslie is looking at a 2016-17 roster that is both experienced and young at the same time.
"We continue to have high expectations to compete every single year, put ourselves in position to win the GLIACs, to be in that top three at super regionals and give ourselves an opportunity to qualify for nationals," Oslie said. "It doesn't change year after year."
Stepping into a bigger role will be senior Kaitlin Neumann, who is no stranger to success. As a junior in 2015-16, Neumann's average round was 76.59, she won the Ashland Eagle Invitational and was in the top five individually in six tournaments.
"She is definitely the leader in the group," Oslie said. "She has the most experience. She definitely is a player that, as a coach, I can lean on day in and day out. She is one of the most consistent players I've ever seen.
"She has loads of potential to exceed what has been done in the past, records that have been set in the past. She has the potential to break those records."
Ashland has three sophomores who gained valuable experience a season ago as rookies – Monica Torda (83.21 average round), Morgan Eib (84.70) and Kayleigh McHugh (85.88).
"Freshman year, it's a whole new experience for everybody," Oslie said. "There's a lot of adjustment, and in sophomore year, you really start to see players starting to get their groove. I fully expect them to continue to grow and continue to reach their goals as sophomores."
The Eagles add a pair of true freshmen in Logan Pottorf and Anna Schatschneider, of whom Oslie said, "From an athletics standpoint, they want to be on a team that challenges them, be on a team that can reach the postseason. They definitely have the potential, it's just up to them whether they are willing to put in the time and sacrifice to meet those expectations."
Redshirt freshman Krystal Hu is a wildcard for the Eagles who will begin competing in the spring semester.
"She's worked extremely hard this offseason, this summer, and I'm excited to see how good she can really be," said Oslie. "It's really promising. I'm anxious to see it, for sure."
Senior Kelsey Yantz will compete in the fall semester and will graduate in December. She saw action in five tournaments a season ago.
"We're very, very proud of her," Oslie said. "She got some time in, got some experience, and I'm excited to see how much she's grown from last year to this year."
UP FIRST: Sept. 5-6 at the Youngstown State Kickoff at Mill Creek North Golf Course.
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