Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Head West
10/17/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
October 17, 2000
Indiana Heads West in Last Fall Competition
Match Data
The Hoosiers join 17 teams (Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, New Mexico, New Mexico State, Oregon, Oregon State, Pepperdine, and San Jose State, Stanford, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Tulsa, UCLA, USC, Washington, and Washington State) to participate in the annual Stanford Invitational hosted by Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif. It is a 54-hole tournament with five players per team, counting the lowest four scores each day. Friday Oct. 20 and Saturday Oct. 21, tee times begin at 8:00 a.m. Sunday is a shotgun start beginning at 8:30 a.m. The par of the 6154 yard course is 72.
www.athletics.indiana.edu
Indiana University unveiled a new look to its athletic website with the start of the 2000 season. Complete game results are made available on the web at www.athletics.indiana.edu following the event. In addition, the women's golf page includes updated statistics, player and staff bios, historical records and honors and weekly features on current athletes.
Playing in Palo Alto
IU has competed in the Stanford Invitational six times in the past seven seasons. Their highest finish was in 1998-99 when they placed fourth with a score of 903. Last year they finished tied for eighth with returning junior Tiffany Fisher their top scorer in 24th place.
In the Rankings
Heading into their fourth tournament of the season, Indiana ranks fourth in the Midwest according to MasterCard Collegiate Golf Rankings. Purdue, Ohio State, and Michigan State lead the pack. In individual rankings, senior Natalie Tucker ranks first in the Midwest. In the Sagarin ratings, Tucker is second in the women's college Big Ten indivdual player ratings.
Meet Head Coach Sam Carmichael
Sam Carmichael, seven-time Big Ten Women's Coach of the Year, is now in his 21st season as Indiana's women's golf coach. Before Carmichael directed his attention soley to the women's golf program in 1998, he spent nine years as IU's men's golf coach. During his time as the men's coach, Carmichael won Coach of the Year honors twice (1991 and 1998) and the 1991 and the 1998 Big Ten title.
In 1981, Carmichael assumed the position of head coach for the IU women's team, which he has led to seven Big Ten Championships in the last 13 years and 10 top-three finishes. During a 16-year span from 1984-99, Indiana is the only team in the Big Ten to place in the top three every year. Also, Indiana's seven Big Ten titles are the most won by any school in the league.
Carmichael has been named Big Ten Women's Coach of the year seven times and has received NCAA Regional Coach of the Year honors four times.
Carmichael Comments
"We have had great success here at Indiana both, in the Big Ten and at the national level. IU has so much to offer to a women's golf player. From the facilitites, to the academics, to the community, to one of the top campuses in the nation. There are few universities that have the tradition and comittment to excellent to the sport of women's golf that Indiana University has."
Invite Intuition
Coach Carmichael and his team are looking to improve on last weeks numbers.
"I hope we can go out to California and have a good tournament. We need to play to our potential. I don't think we have done that yet this season."
Up to Par
Coach Carmichael will travel to California with a group of five Hoosiers. Natalie Tucker, Ambry Bishop, Danah Ford, Tiffany Fisher and Adrienne Graessle will compete in tournament play with the top four scores counting each day.
Inviting Improvement
The Hoosiers have made strides since the first tournament of the season. IU finished eighth in the Mary Fossum Invitational and has placed seventh in the following two tournaments. Scores are continuing to drop. In the Northern Invite, the women shot a 922 and a week later headed to the Legends Invitational and dropped their total by 19 strokes, finishing with a 903.
Iron Women
A young group of women make up the golf team this year. Only three seniors are returning, one with junior eligibility status. They are joined by three red-shirted freshmen, three true freshmen, one sophomore, and one junior. The state of Indiana sports 11 of the 13 golfers on the team. The two "out-of-staters" are from LaCrosse, Wis. and Easton, Penn.
Tucker Attack
Senior Natalie Tucker returns for her second season on the Indiana women's golf team. Tucker has been Indiana's top finisher in all three competitions of the season. She scored a 222 and placed tied for 14th at the Legends Invitational. Tucker shot a 221 for a second place finish at the Northern Invitational and finished tied for third in the Fossum Invitational. She was a top Hoosier after transfering to Indiana from University of Memphis. In her first season with IU she earned All-Big Ten honors and was an honorable mention All-American. Tucker placed fifth at the Big Ten Championship and 28th at the NCAA Eastern Regionals.
Smooth Swinging Snyder
The leader of the team, senior Inga Snyder is entering her final year as a Hoosier. Snyder maintained a 78.5 average in 25 rounds last season. She tied for third in the Lady Buckeye Invitational with a 229 for her best finish of the season. Snyder was also awarded academic All-Big Ten honors her junior year.
Coach Carmichael thoughts: "Inga is a consistent performer who has a wonderful golf swing. Her swing gives her the potential to shoot low numbers."
Fishing for a Win
Junior Tiffany Fisher looks to help lead the team to victory this season. Fisher has competed in the three Invitationals this year and is maintaining a 77.6 average. Through her freshman and sophomore year, she has had 11 top-25 finishes. She tied for 26th in the Big Ten Championships her sophomore season with a 307. Off the course, she received academic All-Big Ten honors last year.
Carmichael on Fisher: "Hard worker, has a solid all-around game, a competitor."
Ready for Action
After being red-shirted their freshmen seasons, Shannon Carney, Jenna Finlinson, and Danah Ford are ready to spark the Hoosiers into action.
Carney is a four-year letterwinner in golf, was a four-time conference champion and four-time first team All-Conference selection. She was also awarded conference Player of the Year twice. She has worked through last season to develop her long game and develop strength and distance.
Finlinson did not play competitive golf until she arrived at Indiana last year. She has been working hard and continuing to improve, hoping to help the Hoosiers.
A four-year letterwinner in golf and track, Ford was named to the All-State team her senior year of high school. She has traveled with Indiana to all three competitions and finished second for the Hoosiers in each event. Ford has improved her scores at each tournament and is holding a 76.7 average. She is also a four-time All-Conference and All-County selection. Indiana looks for Ford to step up and compete this year.
Once a Buckeye...
Now a Hoosier, sophomore Mary Lidester played 20 rounds for Ohio State last season. Her best finish was tied for 16th at the Indiana Invitational.
Carmichael on Ford: "Good player with experience and a good game, works hard and loves to compete."
On the Green Graessle
Junior Adrienne Graessle is expected to step up for Indiana this year and be an impact player. She has traveled to both competitions for the Hoosiers this season, competing once as an individual and once for the team. After being red-shirted her freshman season, Graessle competed in five rounds last year posting an average of 86. Her best finish was at the Fossum Invitational where she tied for 52nd shooting 259.
Driving Forces
Three freshmen hope to help the Hoosiers to their eighth Big Ten title.
Karen Dennison, from Madison, Ind., is a four-time All-Conference and two-time conference champion. She finished second in the state tournament her senior year. Dennison has participated in both competitions thus far.
Ambry Bishop is looking to make an immediate impact on IU women's golf. She traveled to two of the competitions this season and finished tied for 28th at the Legends Invitational. She is a four-year letterwinner and was named to the Indiana All-State golf team four years in a row. At Franklin High School in Franklin, Ind., Bishop was a three time team MVP and a two-time All-Conference. She finished eighth this summer in the State Amatuer and also in the 2000 Indiana PGA Women's Open Championship.
Bethany Brunner joins the Hoosiers from Martinsville, Ind., where she led her golf team to four straight IHSAA state championships. She was named All-State four consecutive years and was regional champion in 1999.
