Lady’Back golf team heads west for NCAA regional

UA Women’s Communications

Posted on Thursday, May 8, 2008

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/nwat/64949/

The seventh-ranked University of Arkansas women’s golf team travels to Sacramento, Calif., for the 2008 NCAA West Regional Championship today-Saturday at Lincoln Hills Golf Club.

Arkansas is making the program’s seventh NCAA Regional appearance and its sixth in a row with aspirations of a top-eight finish, allowing the team to advance to the NCAA Championship in Albuquerque, N. M., May 20-23.

“ The West Regional sets up good for us, ” said Arkansas head coach Shauna Estes-Taylor. “ Not only do we have a great opportunity to advance, but we have an opportunity to win the tournament. ”

Arkansas enters the week as one of the top-seeded teams trailing only No. 3 South California and No. 4 Arizona State in the field of 21 teams.

Arkansas is led by second-ranked senior Stacy Lewis. The Woodlands, Texas, native leads the team and the Southeastern Conference and is second in the nation in stroke average with a 70. 08 mark. Lewis has won six tournaments this year, including the 2008 SEC Championship last week but she’ll have her hands full with the talented field at this year’s regional.

In addition to Lewis the field includes the fourth and fifth-ranked collegians in Arizona State’s Anna Nordqvist (70. 67 ) and Azahara Munoz (70. 68 ).

“ Stacy’s ready, ” said Estes-Taylor. “ She has two more collegiate events to try and capture the national player of the year. She’s been working hard on some little things this week and she’s well-prepared for this stretch. ”

Lewis is joined by junior Lucy Nunn, sophomores Kristin Ingram and Alex Schulte and freshman Kelli Shean. Shean earned SEC all-Freshman Team honors this year.

The Lady Razorbacks tee off at 11 a. m. CST with Southern California and Arizona State. Live stats for the event will be available at golfstat. com.