The Penn women's golf team is returning its top six players from last year's squad and their hopes are high for the 2005 season.
The Quakers finished fifth at the Ivy League Tournament last season. However, based on their fall season performances, they have good reason to have higher expectations for this season.
Penn placed ninth at the Bucknell Invitational and fifth at the Princeton Invitational. The Quakers took home their first tournament crown in program history at the Lehigh Fall Invitational. Senior Melissa Aylor earned her second individual crown at that tournament as well.
Aylor is the unequivocal leader of the Red and Blue and holds the program record for best round with a 72.
"She's our captain. She's our leader. She's our best player on the team," coach Francis Vaughn said. "She's going to be our cornerstone. She's been our leader on and off the golf course."
The Penn opening day lineup is rounded out by juniors Megan Brady and Kim Thompson, sophomore Stephanie Stamas, and freshman Meg Bender.
Aylor noted that there is a tremendous advantage in having an experienced roster since everyone has seen the courses before. Furthermore, the experience creates team unity.
"We all know each other's games," Aylor said. "While it is an individual sport, it is great to have your teammates behind you."
The Quakers will travel to Williamsburg, Va. today to participate in the William and Mary Invitational. The tournament is their first of three before the Ivy League Championship, which will be held on April 16.
While Vaughn does not disregard the upcoming event, he does not hold it in the same esteem as the championship.
"We have a month to prepare for the event -- the Ivy Championship," Vaughn said. "The event this week is a small piece of our preparation."
The Quakers began that preparation over spring break by traveling to Los Angeles, California to take advantage of the warm weather and the snow-free greens. Vaughn was very pleased with the play he saw on that trip. He believes that the players have shown improvement since last year, noting that the sophomores especially have shown maturity.
Aylor emphasized that the team is not playing at the best it can yet, though it is progressing. She said that they are in stage of the season where they are still getting experience under their belts.
"This season, we've all been playing very well," Aylor said. "But we have not been competitive yet."
While Vaughn is wary of predicting how the Quakers will perform this season or of setting expectations too high, he said that he is "cautiously optimistic." Aylor was a little more concrete about her expectations for this year's squad. She hopes her team can finish in the top five or six of every tournament.
"We are shooting for a top-three [finish] at the Ivies," Aylor said. "Which is incredibly realistic."
