Sept. 1, 2004
The 2004-05 New Mexico women’s golf team is looking to sustain the momentum the program has built in its unprecedented run over the last decade and maintain its ascent into the national spotlight. The Lobos have always been a national power – they own 13 conference championships, 12 NCAA Championships appearances and 12 consecutive postseason berths – but in the last five years, the program has risen to elite status. UNM has won four of the five Mountain West Conference championships and has won 10 tournament titles in the last three seasons. Last year, the Lobos provided the program with one of the most successful seasons in school history – they claimed four tournament victories, placed in the top 10 in 10 of their 11 tournaments, and again led the Mountain West with four all-conference honorees. The Lobos were ranked in the top 10 for 33 consecutive weeks, peaking at No. 3, and finished the season ranked No. 6 in the final Golf Week standings.
But the Lobos – as always – are still hungry for more hardware. This year’s lineup is loaded with experience and young talent eager to show they belong among the nation’s elite teams.
Three starters return from last season’s squad, led by two-time honorable mention All-American Kailin Downs. Downs, a senior, has already established herself as one of the most prolific golfers in UNM history while rewriting much of the record book. She owns the UNM sophomore record with a 74.1 scoring-average mark and set the junior record last season with an average of 73.91. Now, she has her eyes set on the UNM career scoring-average record of 75.34, established by departing senior Katrina Leckovic in 2003-04. Downs’ current career average is 74.29.
In addition to her impressive scoring average, Downs won medalist honors for the first time in her career at the 2003 Dick McGuire Invitational. A two-time Mountain West Player of the Year, Downs earned all-conference accolades for the third straight season in 2003-04 while being ranked No. 32 in the nation.
Downs enjoyed an excellent summer season in gearing up for the 2004-05 campaign. She was one of four collegiate golfers selected to represent the United States in the 2004 U.S. vs. Japan Collegiate Championships, and she responded by winning two of her three matches in helping to lead the U.S. to its ninth straight victory. She also qualified for match play at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championships, advancing to the round of 32.
“Kailin’s goal is certainly to win more tournaments,” said head coach Jackie Booth. “Getting that first win is always the toughest, and then having the confidence to know you’ve done it will help her more even this year. She has definitely been the trendsetter and the record-setter in her time at UNM, but she has the capability to get even better.
“She really enjoyed the Japan trip – it was a great experience for her. She learned a lot about playing with the top players in the nation instead of against them. And making the U.S. Women’s Amateur is quite an accomplishment, not to mention making the cut and winning her first match. It’s pretty impressive.”
Junior Christine Fernandez, who transferred from Tulsa after her freshman year, showed promise in her first season as a Lobo in 2003-04. Fernandez placed in the top 20 in five tournaments last season, including a team-best score of 295 at the NCAA Championships. She also posted a career-best finish with a second-place showing at the Dr. Thompson Rainbow Invitational.
Christine Fernandez |
“Christine had her best tournament at nationals last year,” said Booth. “I’m hoping she takes that and brings it into this year knowing she’s one of our top players. She definitely has the ability, no question. At the end of last season she really started feeling comfortable with who she was on the team, and I see her stepping up even more this season.”
Sophomore Ashley Rollins earned a starting spot on last year’s record-breaking team as a true freshman. At the beginning of last season, Booth said Rollins was one of the most talented players she has ever signed. Rollins lived up to the billing.
Ashley Rollins – 2004 Mountain West Freshman of the Year |
She established a new freshman scoring record with a 74.62 average and was named the Mountain West Freshman of the Year. In addition, she garnered all-conference honors and was named a NGCA Scholar-Athlete, the equivalent to Academic All-America status. Rollins placed in the top 10 in three tournaments and finished the year ranked No. 52 in the country.
“For her to make every trip last year was outstanding,” remarked Booth. “It has to give her a lot of confidence being named the Freshman of the Year. Physically, she has all the talent in the world, and this year I think she will be even tougher mentally, which will make her that much better as a player. She’s a great player, and I feel lucky to have her on our team.”
Almost a bonus to this year’s lineup will be senior Christina Spence. Spence was named to the 2003 All-Mountain West team after placing a career-high fourth at the conference championships, but fell victim to last year’s record-breaking loaded lineup, and qualified for just one tournament. She still improved her scoring average, however, and placed eighth as an individual with a career-best score of 221 at the Dick McGuire Invitational. Now she’s ready to get back into the lineup after a successful offseason.
“Christina’s really motivated to stay in the lineup this season,” Booth said. “I contribute our success last year to her – she pushed those top five every qualifying round. Last year really motivated her to work hard this summer. She’s definitely going to come back and be a contributor to this team. I’m excited to see her in the lineup – she’s a real team member and she’s out there for everybody.”
Rounding out the squad are three talented freshmen: Giselle Claux, Alexandra Phelps and Stenna Westerlund.
Claux redshirted last season after arriving from Lima, Peru, in the spring of 2004. Claux represented Peru in several Junior South American tournaments and gained valuable experience while training last year with one of the top teams in the nation.
“To be able to play and practice with the team last year was a real good experience for Giselle,” said Booth. “She knows what it takes, it’s just a matter of doing it. She came from a different country, speaking a different language, and started playing some of the top players in the country right away. She tackled a lot last semester, and I believe that experience will translate into success this year.”
Phelps is a homegrown talent from Albuquerque. She capped an impressive year by winning the 2004 Class 5A golf championship and the Albuquerque Women’s City Championship. For her efforts, she earned the Albuquerque Tribune Athlete of the Year for girl’s golf.
“Winning the city championship should give her the confidence that she belongs with this group,” Booth said. “She hits the ball a mile, but she just doesn’t have the experience. But once we throw her into this group,
she’ll come out just fine.”
Westerlund is a native of Finland with a very impressive international resume. She has been a member of Finland’s national teams since 1998, most recently on the Finnish Ladies’ National Team. She has a wealth of international experience, placing in the top 10 on six occasions in international tournaments. Westerlund ranked third on the Finnish Golf Tour in 2003 after taking medalist honors at the 21-under Finnish Amateur Championship, and also placed sixth at the 2003 European Amateur Championship.
“Stenna’s traveled all over Europe and has played in some really good tournaments,” Booth said. “It’s really just a matter of how she adjusts to school and her surroundings. Hopefully being in the team environment will help her ease into the transition.”
Booth is excited to showcase her gifted group of players at the nation’s most prestigious tournaments this season.
The Lobos begin the season by hosting the 26th annual Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational, which has maintained its excellence as one of the elite tournaments in the nation. UNM then goes to the NCAA Preview in Sunriver, Ore., site of the 2005 Mountain West and NCAA Championships. Before traveling to the NCAA Matchplay Championships in Florida to close out the fall season, UNM will play in tournaments at the Stanford Invitational and the Landfall Tradition.
The spring season picks up right where the fall left off, starting with the 2005 Regional Challenge. Also included in the spring is the Lady Gamecock Classic, featuring the best teams in the East, and the Ping/ASU Invitational, featuring the best teams in the West.
“Our schedule, which was already tough in year’s past, is even stronger this season,” Booth said. “It’s going to be difficult, but with last year’s background of knowing we can win, it will help us go into the top tournaments with confidence. I like the fact that we’re going to play the best teams in the nation every tournament we’re in.”
With the combination of a challenging schedule, experienced veterans and talented freshmen, coach Booth believes her team is ready for another run at the top of the national rankings.
“I think we will be very successful this year, especially with the group we have coming back,” Booth said. “They know what our weaknesses are, and they will help us improve on that this season. They also know what it takes to win, and I think experience is one of the best teachers.
“Advancing to nationals was a big step for us last year, but the season didn’t end the way we would’ve liked. But we accomplished so much in winning four tournaments and being ranked in the top 10 all year, and we’ll definitely take what we learned at the end of last season into this season.”