University of North Texas Athletics
Women's Golf Aiming For Conference Championship
4/18/2021 5:00:00 PM | Women's Golf
DENTON - As the Mean Green women's golf team heads into this week's Conference USA Championship, they'll be doing so with a sense of urgency they've never had, but also with a great peace of mind they've never been afforded.
The Mean Green, which enter the three-day event beginning Monday with a No. 33 national ranking, are the highest ranked Conference USA team and the perceived favorites to claim the program's first-ever conference championship. They also can play with a sense of calm knowing no matter what happens at the Lake Jovita Golf Club in Dade City, Florida, they've locked up an NCAA Regional at-large bid because of their ranking, which will be just the second time in program history a team has made it to the NCAA tournament. That chance has finally come after it was robbed from the team last year when the COVID-19 pandemic halted all competition in mid-March, just after the Mean Green had won the Entrada Classic in Utah and Lauren Cox had claimed the individual championship.
"The team is ready and excited to get to Florida and compete for a championship," UNT head coach Michael Akers said. "We have been waiting for two years now to get this opportunity. I like the fact our national ranking is well inside the bubble so we can play stress-free knowing that we will receive a bid to the NCAAs. That has always been my goal, as a coach, heading into the conference championship.
"I am certainly proud of the fact our program has gone from the worst to the best in C-USA over the past four-plus years," added Akers, who took over a program in 2016 that was ranked outside of the top-200 nationally. "The roster is full of hard workers and this is the main reason for the huge improvement."
The tournament was moved from its usual location of Verandah Golf Club in Fort Myers, Florida, due to COVID-19 protocols just a few weeks ago, so the teams will all be playing a new course. The format of the tournament is also up in the air because of impending inclement weather in the Dade City area, and what was supposed to be a three-day tournament, ending Wednesday, with tee times each day has instead become a shotgun start on Monday morning and could have the teams playing 27 holes with worse weather forecasted for Tuesday. The Mean Green lineup will be led by fifth-year senior Lauren Cox, followed by Audrey Tan, Patricia Sinolungan, Emilie Ricaud and Katie Finley. They will be paired on Monday with No. 49 UTSA and No. 61 Old Dominion, which are the next two highest ranked teams in the conference.
The team's calling card this year, which has helped propel them up the national rankings, has been the scoring depth that has slowly improved each of the past few years since Akers' arrival but has hit an apex this year. Â Cox's scoring average of 72.48 would easily break her own program record for a single season - the one that broke her old record a year ago. Tan's current mark of 73.95 would be the best in program history by anyone other than Cox. Finley's 74.33 would narrowly miss out on the same distinction but would still rank in the top-5 in program history.
Tan, a junior, said a conference championship would mean a lot not only for her and her other teammates, but for Cox, who returned for a bonus fifth year this year after the NCAA granted waivers to all student-athletes because of the pandemic stoppage last year.
"It would mean a lot, especially since we've gotten another opportunity with the same team (as last year)," Tan said. "I'm so grateful to get another year with Lauren, and to get this conference win together would be the cherry on top. We definitely have a freer mindset knowing we have a regional bid. We're still going in hungry and driven for that conference ring, but knowing we have that bid does take the pressure off."
Cox said she knows the clock is ticking down on her collegiate golf career, but there is still something missing from her resume - the same one that has cemented her as the most decorated golfer in program history and one of the most decorated athletes in North Texas history.
"I'm excited to go to conference and have the opportunity to play and learn a new course," Cox said. "Our team is going to win many conference championships in the future. I'm just happy to get to be a part of the first one."
Regardless of what happens, the Mean Green will be teeing it off at an NCAA Regional May 10-12, at a site to be determined. Cox qualified for an NCAA Regional as an individual two years ago, but the rest of the team has never made it that far.
Fans can follow the program on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and follow the Conference USA tournament with live scoring on GolfStat. There will be a recap of each day's action on MeanGreenSports.com.
The Mean Green, which enter the three-day event beginning Monday with a No. 33 national ranking, are the highest ranked Conference USA team and the perceived favorites to claim the program's first-ever conference championship. They also can play with a sense of calm knowing no matter what happens at the Lake Jovita Golf Club in Dade City, Florida, they've locked up an NCAA Regional at-large bid because of their ranking, which will be just the second time in program history a team has made it to the NCAA tournament. That chance has finally come after it was robbed from the team last year when the COVID-19 pandemic halted all competition in mid-March, just after the Mean Green had won the Entrada Classic in Utah and Lauren Cox had claimed the individual championship.
"The team is ready and excited to get to Florida and compete for a championship," UNT head coach Michael Akers said. "We have been waiting for two years now to get this opportunity. I like the fact our national ranking is well inside the bubble so we can play stress-free knowing that we will receive a bid to the NCAAs. That has always been my goal, as a coach, heading into the conference championship.
"I am certainly proud of the fact our program has gone from the worst to the best in C-USA over the past four-plus years," added Akers, who took over a program in 2016 that was ranked outside of the top-200 nationally. "The roster is full of hard workers and this is the main reason for the huge improvement."
The tournament was moved from its usual location of Verandah Golf Club in Fort Myers, Florida, due to COVID-19 protocols just a few weeks ago, so the teams will all be playing a new course. The format of the tournament is also up in the air because of impending inclement weather in the Dade City area, and what was supposed to be a three-day tournament, ending Wednesday, with tee times each day has instead become a shotgun start on Monday morning and could have the teams playing 27 holes with worse weather forecasted for Tuesday. The Mean Green lineup will be led by fifth-year senior Lauren Cox, followed by Audrey Tan, Patricia Sinolungan, Emilie Ricaud and Katie Finley. They will be paired on Monday with No. 49 UTSA and No. 61 Old Dominion, which are the next two highest ranked teams in the conference.
The team's calling card this year, which has helped propel them up the national rankings, has been the scoring depth that has slowly improved each of the past few years since Akers' arrival but has hit an apex this year. Â Cox's scoring average of 72.48 would easily break her own program record for a single season - the one that broke her old record a year ago. Tan's current mark of 73.95 would be the best in program history by anyone other than Cox. Finley's 74.33 would narrowly miss out on the same distinction but would still rank in the top-5 in program history.
Tan, a junior, said a conference championship would mean a lot not only for her and her other teammates, but for Cox, who returned for a bonus fifth year this year after the NCAA granted waivers to all student-athletes because of the pandemic stoppage last year.
"It would mean a lot, especially since we've gotten another opportunity with the same team (as last year)," Tan said. "I'm so grateful to get another year with Lauren, and to get this conference win together would be the cherry on top. We definitely have a freer mindset knowing we have a regional bid. We're still going in hungry and driven for that conference ring, but knowing we have that bid does take the pressure off."
Cox said she knows the clock is ticking down on her collegiate golf career, but there is still something missing from her resume - the same one that has cemented her as the most decorated golfer in program history and one of the most decorated athletes in North Texas history.
"I'm excited to go to conference and have the opportunity to play and learn a new course," Cox said. "Our team is going to win many conference championships in the future. I'm just happy to get to be a part of the first one."
Regardless of what happens, the Mean Green will be teeing it off at an NCAA Regional May 10-12, at a site to be determined. Cox qualified for an NCAA Regional as an individual two years ago, but the rest of the team has never made it that far.
Fans can follow the program on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and follow the Conference USA tournament with live scoring on GolfStat. There will be a recap of each day's action on MeanGreenSports.com.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
Friday, November 04
Friday, July 08