Ball State University Athletics
2006 BSU Women's Golf Season Preview; Cardinals Open Season This Weekend In Arizona
January 09, 2006 | Women's Golf
Ball State Athletics Communications & Marketing Assistant
After a promising fall season, the Ball State women's golf team is gearing up for a strong 2006 schedule. The season tees off March 2, in Rio Verde, Ariz., at the Rio Verde Collegiate Golf Invitational.
The charge of a successful 2006 campaign will be led by senior Julie Harder, senior Katie Sundberg and junior Kallie Harrison.
Sundberg returns for her final campaign with the Cardinals coming off another successful fall season and accomplished 2005 spring season. She led the Cardinals in two tournaments, including when she captured the individual crown at the Mid-American Conference Championships firing rounds of 72 and 77 to win the event.
Sundberg's individual medalist honors marked the first time in the six-year history of the MAC Women's Golf Championships that a Kent State player did not win the event. Sundberg's 149 was three strokes better than the top KSU player, Tara Delaney, who finished fourth with a 71-81=152.
"Katie is the type of player that every time she goes out and plays or practices, she gets better," says second-year Ball State head coach Katherine Mowat. "Mentally as well, she is constantly getting better. Her swing is very solid and is the same every time."
Last year, Sundberg's scoring average of 80.54 led the team. She continued to improve her scoring average during the fall, dropping it to 78.57 while playing in every round and leading the team at two events.
Sundberg assumes additional responsibility in her final season as she has been tabbed team captain.
"Katie is very much a leader by example and she has handled the responsibility well," Mowat says. "Being captain has motivated her to work hard and do great things with the team. She is the type of player I would love to hold on to for another year."
Harrison is in her first year with the team after transferring from Southern Illinois University. In her first action as a Cardinal last fall at the Hawkeye Intercollegiate, she posted a team best three-round score of 239 to finish 12th.
Harrison led the team in scoring at three of the four events in which she played during the fall campaign. She fired a season-low 73 twice, both at the Cardinal Classic and also at the Wildcat Fall Invitational. Harrison had the team's best scoring average with a 77.27.
"I think the whole team has welcomed Kallie and helped her make the transition," Mowat says. "She is very self sufficient and mature beyond her years. She knows what she needs to do and how hard to work. Kallie is very motivated in achieving her goals."
Harder enters her senior season in just her second year at Ball State after transferring from the University of Nebraska. Harder averaged 79.21 strokes per round through the fall and fired a career-best 73 at the Unlimited Potential/Bay Tree Classic.
A year ago, Harder led the team in scoring in two tournaments including when she earned medalist honors at the Butler Spring Invitational shooting 79 both rounds to win the event.
Harrison, Harder and Sundberg had the three best scoring averages during the fall campaign.
"I look at it as I have three leaders on the team -- Kallie, Julie and Katie," Mowat says. "The three of them work very well together and it's a unique situation that they are in for the first time. They motivate and encourage each other and really feed off one another."
Senior Carmen Bodine is also expected to contribute to the Cardinals success this season. Bodine had the second-lowest scoring average a year ago at 80.64. The senior also led the team in scoring last spring including tying for first place at the Illini Spring Classic with rounds of 73 and 77.
The Cardinals also hope for the healthy return of junior Chelsie Flannery. Flannery had to sit out the fall season due to injury, but may return to action in 2006. As a sophomore, she competed in every competitive round for the team, averaging 81.36. In her initial college season, Flannery held a scoring average of 80.73 and fired a career-low 73.
"We are hoping to have Chelsie back in the lineup for spring," Mowat says. "She was definitely missed in the fall and she is a big help to the team. We are hoping she gets better and is able to play some tournaments because that would give us more depth."
The season schedule includes both familiar tournaments and also some that will be new to the Cardinals. The schedule is highlighted by trips to Arizona and North Carolina, an in-state tournament hosted by Butler, playing at Big 10 opponent Illinois and the season culminating at the MAC Championships at Walden Ponds in Hamilton, Ohio.
Ball State's fourth place finish at last year's MAC Championship was the best in the school's brief history in women's golf. The Cardinals reinstated women's golf in 2001 and placed eighth out of eight teams in the conference championships. In 2002, BSU was eighth of eight teams, but moved up to seventh out of nine teams in 2003 and placed sixth in 2004.
The Cardinals showed potential of yet again improving that finish during the fall season, finishing in the top six in three events. A season-best fourth place team finish came at the Cardinal Classic at The Players Club near Muncie, as three players -- Harrison, Sundberg and Harder – placed in the top 10.
The following weekend at the Unlimited Potential/Bay Tree at Bay Tree, S.C., the Cardinals finished fifth out of 16 teams, with all five scorers finishing in the top 50.
"South Carolina was very motivating for them," Mowat says. " They know as well as I do that if they come together -- not as one or two players -- but as five players, we will find our team name at the top of a scoreboard very soon."
Juniors Holly Jones and Amber Uphaus, along with sophomore Ashley Burgess and freshman Sarah Windlan complete BSU's 2006 roster.
"The top three players on the team are very bonded in what they can do individually and as a team. Another strength is our depth. Everyone has the opportunity to qualify and everyone has the potential to qualify at any time. It is very competitive within the team.
"However, I think you are only as a good as your weakest player. In golf you need a number four and five player. We need to go out there and know we can count on two good scores and then hopefully fill the void that held us back this fall."
