Cox At Norman Regional, Aiming For Nationals

NORMAN, Okla. – Lauren Cox begins her run at history Monday when she attempts to become the first player in UNT women's golf history to advance to the national championship tournament.

The junior from Orange, Texas, is only the second North Texas player to advance to an NCAA Regional, and along the way she's already set new benchmarks for the up-and-coming program.

So far this year, Cox has tied the school record for low round with a 66 in the second round of The Bruzzy last month. She's also well on her way to setting a new record for lowest single-season scoring average with a 73.46 average heading into the Norman Regional, which begins today. The previous record, which was set 16 years ago, was 74.60, by Randi Gauthier, who is the only other UNT individual to ever advance to an NCAA regional.

For those reasons, UNT coach Michael Akers sees no reason why Cox can't make history again.

"We are excited for Lauren to compete at the NCAA regionals in Norman," he said."She has played great all year and has a good shot at advancing to the national championship. (Assistant coach) Krista (Puisite) and I have been talking to her about not trying to reinvent the wheel. She doesn't need to play outside her normal game to advance. She just needs to minimize mistakes and putt like she can."

To putt well at the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club, where Cox will tee off from the first hole at 9:10 a.m., Monday, one must contend with bentgrass greens. Those aren't customary in the southern United States, where Bermuda grass is prevalent.

Luckily for Cox, she saw bentgrass greens once this year, and the results were favorable. In the Mean Green's first tournament of the year, the Minnesota Invitational, Cox tied for ninth but was in contention for the championship after 36 holes following a 69-68 in the first two rounds. That gives her confidence heading into the week in Norman.

"Our first tournament we played at was Minnesota and that was bentgrass, and I putted really well there and played well and had two good rounds," she said. "I think I can play well on bentgrass. It's an adjustment and it rolls differently, but it rolls really smooth."

In order to advance, Cox will have to finish in the top three of individuals not on one of the top six teams. In short, she needs to finish in the top three of 64 other golfers, and given her track record this year (seven top-20 finishes in nine starts and three top-10s, all in larger fields than 64 golfers), there is no reason to think she can't advance.

"There's a lot of competition, and any girl could have a really good three rounds and post a low number," Cox said. "I know it'll be competitive. Looking at last year's results, it's going to take some scores under par so putting up some low rounds will help."

Puisite, a graduate assistant coach who played for Akers at his previous stop at Texas State, missed qualifying for the national championship by one stroke her senior year, so she knows what it takes to be in contention at a regional. She's given Cox plenty of advice in the last couple of weeks.

"The biggest thing we've been trying to communicate to her is that she can definitely get to nationals," Puisite said. "The only reason she wouldn't is if she thought she had to do something better than what she is. She's definitely good enough. She shot the school record and has played really consistently all season. She's good enough. She just can't get in her own way. She has to believe she belongs there."

It's clear she does, and she hopes she has one more tournament on her schedule this year with the NCAA championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, beginning on May 17.

"I'm feeling good," Cox said. "This is where everyone wants to be. I'm excited to get a glimpse of what it's like for next year when we go back as a team. I want to advance to nationals. I just have to play the way I've played all year and put up three good rounds, and hopefully that'll be good enough."

To follow Cox's progress in Norman, follow the Mean Green women on Twitter and Facebook, and check the live scoring of the tournament here. Also, results and recaps will be posted each day at MeanGreenSports.com.

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