DePauw’s men’s and women’s golf teams were both in action this weekend. The men hosted the DePauw Small College Classic while the women took on Rose-Hulman in a six team event.
The women’s golf team secured their first win of the season this Saturday at the Rose-Hulman Invitational in what sophomore medalist Alexandria Ramirez called “a rebuilding semester” due to the lack of upperclassman this year.
“We’re very young,” DePauw Coach Vince Lazar said. “In our lineup we’re playing three sophomores and two freshman, sometimes more. We only have one junior on the team [Brook Hasler] and she’s currently off campus. We graduated two All American players last year, that’s hard to replace.”
The sophomore class stepped up to the plate this weekend.
“The sophomores put a lot of pressure on themselves to perform,” Lazar said. “Ramirez shot a great first round at the invitational, even par, and that gave us a cushion after the first round.”
“I have been working to be more consistent off the tee, which has led to lower scores these last two tournaments,” Ramirez said.
Sophomore Sheinnera Gerongay finished tied in second place. The tournament is one of her best performances at a collegiate event.
“The biggest contributing factor to our win was our attitude on the course and really focusing on one shot at a time,” Gerongay said. “We only won by a couple strokes which meant that every shot mattered.”
Ramirez agreed, adding, “It was very exciting to see all of the hard work that the team has put in finally pay off. The teams consistent scoring both days was the biggest factor in the victory.”
Alumni and NCAA Woman of the Year Top 30 Honoree Paige Gooch came back to coach the girls in the tournament, due to the abrupt departure of ex-assistant coach a few weeks back to take a head coaching job somewhere else.
“Obviously I was in support of him leaving,” said Coach Lazar. “It did throw us for a loop though, there’s not always a coach overseeing the girls because I coach both men’s and women’s teams. Luckily, Paige was able to come down and coach the tournament. She did a fantastic job.”
Being such a young team, the main goal is to bond and get to know the team, according to Coach Lazar.
“Because we are such a young team the primary goal has been for everyone to adjust to college and preform to the best of their ability in the tournaments,” Ramirez said. “Our primary focus has been preparing for the conference tournament in the spring.”
“We want to show that we are a contender for nationals in the spring,” Gerongay said.
The Tigers will play Allegheny College next Saturday in Gambier, Ohio.
While the women hosted the DePauw Small College Classic last week, it was the men’s turn to host the event this past weekend.
After the first day, the Tigers sat comfortably in fourth place of the 10 team field, however, they took a step back on Sunday and finished the event in fifth.
DePauw finished 23 points behind eventual winner Marion University. NCAC rival Kenyon College came in second.
Sophomore Quinn Smith was the Tigers’ top finisher shooting a 10 over par 154 for two days.
The Tigers return to action next Sunday when they travel to Apple Valley Golf Club in Howard, Ohio for the Kenyon College Invitational.