Texas Tech University Athletics
Tech Treks Back to Arizona for MountainView Collegiate
March 22, 2007 | Women's Golf
March 22, 2007
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech Red Raiders will return to the state of recent success when they travel back to Arizona for the MountainView Collegiate on Saturday, March 24th. The two-day tournament will take place at the MountainView Golf Course in Tucson, Ariz.
On Saturday the Red Raider team, consisting of Ulrika Van Niekerk, Rosalyn Kim, Megan Dowdy, Gloriana Soto and Melissa Fahey, will participate in 36 holes. The conclusion to the tournament will take place on Sunday, March 25th. Play is set to begin with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. MT each of the days.
Texas Tech recently made a trip to Arizona, as they were part of the Rio Verde Invitational on March 9-11. The team fired their then-second lowest 54-hole score of the year when they turned in rounds of 300-304-302--906 to finish fifth of 18. Individually Ulrika Van Niekerk and Rosalyn Kim each had their highest career finish when both tied for ninth. Van Niekerk finished with rounds of 74-74-75--223, while Kim fired scores of 74-78-71--223, both finishing 7-over-par.
Results of the MountainView from Tucson will be posted online at www.texastech.com along with a recap of events when they are made available.
ON THE COURSE
The ninth annual MountainView Collegiate will take place at the MountainView Golf Course in Tucson, Ariz. The par 72, 6,178 yard course sits along the backside of the Santa Catalina Mountains, hence the name "MountainView". The course was designed by Gary Panks and opened in December 1997.
THE COMPETITION
Seventeen teams will be competing in the MountainView Collegiate, including nine Big 12 members. Many of the teams have already competed against the Red Raiders during the 2006-07 season. Texas Tech will be facing only three of the 16 teams for the first time.
Denver will enter as the team to beat with their top ranking of 20th (Golfweek). Northwestern isn't far behind with a 29th-place ranking. No. 45 Baylor, No. 50 Charleston and No. 43 Michigan round out the teams ranked in the top 50. The remaining teams in the field and their rankings are as follows: host Colorado (57), Arizona B-team, Indiana (56), Iowa State (84), Kansas (92), Kansas State (78), Missouri (51), Nebraska (54), Northern Arizona (133), Oklahoma (59), Texas Tech (83) and Wisconsin (87).
Tech will compete against Arizona, Michigan and Northwestern for the first time. Against the other squads, the Red Raiders have earned a 6-11 record against, .353 percent. Versus the Big 12 opponents, Tech has a 3-7 record, .300 percent.
THE LAST TEE
The last time the Red Raiders hit the course, they hit it hard. Texas Tech competed in back-to-back tournaments over spring break as they took part in the Rio Verde Invitational followed by the UNLV Spring Rebel Invitational.
In Arizona for the Rio Verde, the team finished fifth, their second-highest placing of the season and top spring finish thus far. The team finished with rounds of 300-304-302--906. Two Red Raiders finished in the top 10 as Ulrika Van Niekerk and Rosalyn Kim tied for ninth with a 7-over 223.
At the UNLV Spring Rebel Invitational in Las Vegas, Nev., the Red Raiders had impressive scores despite finishing in the bottom half of the pack. Texas Tech finished 11th out of 18 with the second-lowest 54-hole score in school history as they fired rounds of 298-291-302--891.
Two individuals finished with career numbers, including 18-, 36-, and 54-hole lows. Van Niekerk turned in rounds of 75-70-73--218, 2-over-par, to tie for 19th. The finish marked the South Africa native's third top-20 finish and third of the spring season. Kim also had career lows as she tied for 22nd with scores of 70-73-76--219, 3-over-par. The Red Raiders now lead all Tech members in stroke average for the year and the spring. Kim leads the overall statistics with 76.39 stokes and is second in the spring with an average of 76.18. Van Niekerk has an overall average of 76.45 while hitting 75.18 through four spring events.
Megan Dowdy finished 55th after shooting somewhat steady rounds of 75-75-76--226, 10-over-par. Gloriana Soto carded rounds of 82-73-77--232 to finish 16-over par and in a tie for 76th. Tech's fifth competitor, Tracy Stanford, finished 88th as she turned in rounds of 78-82-79--239, 23-over-par.
JUST LAST YEAR
In rhythm with last year's schedule, which included trips to the Rio Verde Invitational and UNLV Spring Rebel Invitational, the Red Raiders also competed in last year's 8th annual MountainView Collegiate.
As a team, Texas Tech had high marks with scores of 301-307-300--908 to finish 12th in the field. Current Red Raider Megan Dowdy led all Tech members as she notched her second top finish of the year with an 11th-place showing. The then-redshirt freshman carded rounds of 77-71-71--219 to finish 3-over-par. Current team leader Ulrika Van Niekerk turned in scores of 75-81-75--231 to finish in 50th position.
Players Mentioned
