Sept. 11, 2001
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Teeing Off
The San Diego State women's golf team opens its 2001-02 campaign this week when the Aztecs travel to Albuquerque, N.M., to compete in the 23rd Annual Comcast/Dick McGuire Invitational. The tournament, which will be hosted by the University of New Mexico, Sept. 13-15, features an 18-team team field and will be played at the UNM's Championship Golf Course. Host of the 1997 NCAA Men's Golf Championships, the course is a par 73 and will play to 6,069 yards.
Tough Field
The 18-team field at this week's 23rd Annual Comcast/Dick McGuire Invitational may be as tough as any the Aztecs will see this season. Included among the group are 13 teams that qualified for NCAA regional play last season. Texas-El Paso is the only team which played last season and did not advance to an NCAA regional. UNLV is a first-year program.
Last year, Arizona captured its second straight Comcast/Dick McGuire Invitational, firing a combined 892. Tulsa (897) finished second followed by Pepperdine (904).
Young And Younger
San Diego State will be sporting a youthful glow at this weeks 23rd Annual Comcast/Dick McGuire Invitational as two sophomores and two freshman will be in the five-player lineup. Senior Rollo, who finished ninth in the Mountain West Conference a year ago with a 77.6 stroke average, will play in the No. 1 slot followed by sophomores Sandy Kim and Shayna Miyajima and freshmen Frieda Englund and Brittany Bailey, respectively.
A Quick Look At The Aztecs
San Diego State placed second at last year's Mountain West Conference championship before advancing to the NCAA East Regional.
Overall, the Aztecs recorded six top-three finishes as a team last, including a victory at Colorado's Heather Farr Memorial. SDSU was especially hot during the fall, placing in the top-three in four straight tournament's to open the season.
San Diego State returns 10 players off its 2000-01 roster. To the list the Aztecs have added five freshmen. Joanne Clingan, who posted the conference's second-best stroke average last season at 76.0 and was SDSU's only medalist with a win at the Lady Aztec Invitational, completed her eligibility in May and is the lone Aztec who completed at least 10 rounds last season not returning.
Pin-Seekers
Two Aztec returnees, Heather Rollo and Asa Jankler, posted top-10 finishes last season. Rollo was the most productive, placing in the top 10 four times, including a second at the Bay Area Classic. The senior-to-be was especially hot during the spring, turning in San Diego State's best finish in 5-of-8 events. Jankler was the Aztecs' top finisher three times, carding a second at the Oregon State Shanico Invitational for her best placing.
Coaching Staff
San Diego State will be led by head coach Neale Stoner and assistant coach Felicia Brown in 2001-02 following the retirement of long-time head coach Diana Falar in May. Stoner coached the Aztec men from 1993-2000, leading the Aztecs to four NCAA regionals and a championship appearance. Brown, who played at the University of Arizona and later professionally on the Players West Golf Tour, is in her first season on the Mesa.