The following is by the Montana State Athletic Department.
Montana State Women's Golf announced their 2012-13 schedule on Wednesday. Featuring a revamped line-up of tournaments, the Bobcats will look for an improved season all-around.
“We loaded up the spring schedule a little more than we have in the past,” said head coach Brittany Basye. “We have a new tournament this fall, but we'll kick off the spring at Ocotillo, giving us a few more rounds of practice at the same site as the Big Sky Conference Tournament.”
MSU will open the 2012-13 slate on Sept. 2 when they host the Bobcat Invitational at Riverside Country Club. The Bobcat Invite returns to Bozeman after a year hiatus and Basye couldn't be more excited.
“This is the best way to kick of the new season,” said Basye, who was recently named the head coach of the program after serving as the interim coach for the 2011-12 season. “It's going to be a three-day event with six or seven schools, most of them from the Big Sky Conference. It will be great for our student-athletes and should really drive a lot of support.”
Following the Bobcat Invite, they'll hit the links on Sept. 24, in Pullman, Wash., at the Cougar Cup, taking place at Palouse Ridge Golf Course. In 2011, they placed 11th of 13 teams. A few weeks later, Montana State will make an appearance at the Classic Club in Palm Desert, Calif. for the Wyoming Cowgirl Desert Intercollegiate, the first of two annual tournaments hosted by Wyoming.
New to the slate is the Santa Clara Colby Invitational at Silver Creek Valley Country Club in San Jose, Calif., which will close out the fall portion of the schedule.
“The Santa Clara tournament is going to be a great add to the schedule,” Basye said. “It doesn't just give us another chance to play, but a chance to play against some other programs we may have never faced before.”
The spring slate will open a little earlier in 2013 when the Bobcats travel to Chandler, Ariz. on Feb. 11 for The Lumberjack at Ocotillo tournament. Ocotillo Golf Course will also serve as the host course for the Big Sky Tournament, allowing even more practice before the conference championship. The Lumberjack is the first of six spring tournaments.
A second spring to Arizona will take MSU to the Red Rocks Invitational in Sedona, Ariz. on March 2, at Oak Creek. Last season, the Bobcats placed seventh out of 20 teams at the invitational.
Over spring break, they've added two new tournaments beginning with the Jackrabbit Invitational, hosted by South Dakota State at the Primm Valley Golf Course in Primm, Nev. They'll close out the week in the Silver State when they play at the Bison Invitational at Paiute Golf Resort in Las Vegas.
The Bobcats will get one final tune-up before the Big Sky tournament when they compete at the spring edition of the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic on April 8. The Big Sky Championship will be held April 21-23 at Ocotillo.
“We definitely changed a few things up for the season,” said Basye. “Starting the spring season earlier will start building that confidence just that much sooner. It's going to give us a head start we haven't had the last few years and I really see it making an impact on our success.”
2012-12 WOMEN'S GOLF SCHEDULE
DATE EVENT COURSE LOCATION
Sept. 2-4 Bobcat Invitational Riverside CC Bozeman, Mont.
Sept. 24-25 Cougar Cup Palouse Ridge GC Pullman, Wash.
Oct. 13-14 Wyoming Cowgirl Desert Invitational Classic Club Palm Desert, Calif.
Oct. 22-23 Santa Clara Colby Invitational Silver Creek Valley CC San Jose, Calif.
Feb. 11-13 The Lumberjack at Ocotillo Ocotillo GC Chandler, Ariz.
Mar. 2-3 Red Rocks Invitational Oak Creek CC Sedona, Ariz.
Mar. 11-12 Jackrabbit Invitational Primm Valley GC Primm, Nev.
Mar. 14-15 Bison Invitational Paiute Golf Resort Las Vegas, Nev.
Apr. 8-10 Wyoming Cowgirl Classic Ocotillo GC Chandler, Ariz.
Apr. 21-23 Big Sky Championship Ocotillo GC Chandler, Ariz.
