By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A shortened spring slate does not mean the expectations have shortened for the Tennessee Tech women's golf team, as the Golden Eagles prepare for five crucial events on their quest for an OVC championship.
While the spring typically calls for a grueling, six-tournament stretch, the 2016-17 schedule offers a slightly more relaxed, albeit just as taxing, list of four events familiar to the Golden Eagles and one new trip full of potential.
Tech will kick off its spring season at the Edwin Watts – Kiawah Island Classic, a three-day event spanning Feb. 26-28 at Oak Point & Osprey Point Golf Club in Kiawah Island, S.C. The Golden Eagles have played in one of the largest events in the nation in three of the past four seasons.
"The women will look to continue to build on the positive momentum and results they strung together in the fall," head coach Polk Brown said. "Going back to Kiawah again is a great way to start the semester and we're hoping the weather will be pretty warm."
Two weeks later, the only new event on the schedule equates to a plane ride down to Tampa Bay, Fla. for the Spring Break Shootout from Mar. 13-14. Located at the South Course of Lake Jovita Country Club, the event will represent Tech's first long-distance trip requiring air travel since its trek to Las Vegas in the spring of 2014.
"We don't get to fly very often," Brown explained, "rarely ever really. We've wanted to do something like this ever since we went to Las Vegas with the women and to Arizona with the guys a few years ago. I know they're excited. It should be a good trip. It's just a good opportunity for both teams and it's good for our program to be able to do something like this every once in awhile."
The following week, the Golden Eagles will play host to the fifth annual Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate (so named for the late TTU head coach), the team's home event located at the Highlands Course of Sevierville Golf Club in Sevierville, Tenn. The three-day event, running from Mar. 19-21, represents a tournament the Tech women have posted multiple top-three finishes at in the past, including a title in the inaugural year of 2013.
"It's a great honor to be able to host a tournament in Coach's name," Brown expressed. "It's something we wanted to do ever since I came back to the program six years ago and we want to continue to do every year as long as we can. We've had some success there. Sevierville Golf Club has been gracious enough to allow us to host our event and will continue to do so this year.
"He [Nichols] was such a good man and we miss him dearly. This is just a small way to show our respect for him and everything he did for this program for over 30 years."
Tech's final tune-up to prior to the postseason is a trip to Richmond, Ky. for the EKU Colonel Classic. The two-day, weekend event will run from Mar. 31 to Apr. 1 at the University Club at Arlington.
"Coming back and hosting our tournament in March and playing in EKU's tournament at the end of March and first part April should really give us a good look as to where we stand heading into the conference championships," Brown said. "The women had a good amount of success this past semester and we look forward to getting things started in February."
The Golden Eagles will conclude the spring schedule at the Ohio Valley Conference Championships, held on the Highlands Course at Hampton Cover of the RTJ Trail in Owens Cross Roads, Ala. From Apr. 17-19. Tech will look to build on the success of last season when the team placed second in the league behind a stellar, second-place showing from Allyson Dunn, top-10 finish from Hollee Sadler and top-20 marks from Maddi Everts and Whitney Robertson.
Photo by Carla Hazelwood, TTU Assistant Golf Coach
