The Sycamore women's golf team begins the 2018 fall campaign on Monday, September 3 when they head to the Roseann Scwartz Invitational, hosted by Youngstown State. The event is being held on the 5,987-yard, par-72 layout of the Mill Creek Park Golf Course. The 36-hole tournament will conclude with a second round on Tuesday.
ISU is under the direction of ninth-year head coach
Greg Towne, will turn to a veteran lineup aided by two strong freshmen additions in 2018-19. Making the trip to northeastern Ohio this weekend are seniors
Thilda Staubo,
Sophie Benetti and
Abigail Irwin as well as juniors
Sierra Hargens and
Kayla Ryan. Freshmen
Lauren Greene and
Madison Branum are also on the trip seeing their first action for the Sycamores. The exact starting lineup will be determined following Sunday's practice round.
"We are taking seven on this trip because it's so early in the year and we need to see where we are at from summer work," coach Towne commented. "It should be fun tackling a Donald Ross course. We are making a commitment to playing smarter and it's a great place to do it."
Senior
Thilda Staubo leads the way for the Sycamores one season after ranking eighth in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 76.18 stroke average after playing 22 rounds. She finished in a tie for sixth place at the MVC Championship and recorded three Top 5 and four Top 10 performances last season. Fellow senior
Sophie Benetti is back for her final campaign as she was named an honorable mention selection on the MVC Scholar-Athlete Team ranked 12th in the MVC with a 77.22 stroke average. Benetti posted a Top 15 finish at the MVC Championships last spring.
Another senior is
Abigail Irwin who has played 22 rounds for the Sycamores in her first three seasons on the team. Last year her low round of 79 came in the opening round of the MVC Fall Preview. Junior
Sierra Hargens has enjoyed a pair of steady seasons for the Sycamores and ranked 16th in the Missouri Valley Conference last season with a 77.48 stroke average in 23 rounds played. She finished in a tie for 18th place at the MVC Championship. Last season, Hargens won a three-way, four-hole playoff at the Butler Fall Invitational to claim her first individual medalist title. Junior
Kayla Ryan came on late during her junior year as she rocketed into the Top 20 at the ISU Spring Invitational with a pair of 78's for a total of 156 and a tie for 14th place. She made the MVC Championship lineup where she posted a low round of 77.
Two freshmen make the trip in this weekend's opener including
Madison Branum who hails from Lexington, S.C. She is a two-time South Carolina Independent School Association State Champion after enjoying a successful career at River Bluff High School. Also new to the team this year is
Lauren Greene, who comes from Merseyside, England. She has placed in the Top 20 in botht he English and Scottish U18 National Championships and a pair of Top 5 finishes in the Junior European Open. Her career low of 70 was shot at the Royal Birkdale Scratch Trophy competition in 2016. She recorded her first career hole-in-one at the age of 12.
The Roseann Schwartz Invitational will feature host Youngstown State, Cleveland State, Indiana State, Marshall, Niagara, Purdue Fort Wayne and St. Francis (Pa.). In addition, Mount St. Mary's will have three golfers competing as individuals.
The teams will play single rounds on Monday and Tuesday. Monday's round is set to start at 8 a.m. (ET) with tee times until 11 a.m. (ET) while a shotgun start is set for 9 a.m. on Tuesday.
