Prior to the upcoming season, Oregon women’s golf traveled a total 11,250 miles in its trip to Spain. The mileage has no comparison to the journey that these Ducks have taken together.
In fall of last season, the team appeared to be a legitimate contender to play in the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships. Despite the strong start, the Ducks finished 14th in the NCAA West Regional in spring and ranked 40th in the NCAA, failing to qualify for the final tournament.
“It kind of left a bitter taste in our mouths,” junior team captain Caroline Inglis said.
According to Cathleen Santoso, a sophomore academic All-American, learning to balance golf, school and a social life was a challenge last season that the team hopes to correct.
“Hopefully we can sort those issues out this year and go straight to the end,” Santoso said.
The Ducks are 34th in  Golfstat.com’s first rankings of the fall season.  Five of the team’s top golfers return from last year’s squad, which will give the Ducks plenty of experience and the ability to develop cohesion.
“The work ethic and group dynamic is so much better this year,” Inglis said.
Coming into this season, the Ducks’ camaraderie is obvious to everyone in the program.
“If you see us, we’re probably the loudest team,” Santoso said. “I never see any team louder than us.”
This is partially due to the team’s 12-day trip to Spain and France in the middle of September, in which it played a two-day tournament against the Spanish National team. Though the Ducks led after day one, the Spaniards stormed back for a 11.5-7.5 tournament win.
More important than the tournament result, however, was the opportunity for the team to coalesce.
“I’ve never been on a better team trip than our foreign tour. Ever,” said head coach Ria Scott. “It’s phenomenal for 11 women to get along for 11 days.”
With their goal set on playing in the NCAA Championships, the Ducks realized the value of both the international tournament and the trip as a whole. The match-play style tournament mirrored the NCAA Championships. Additionally, playing in a much different time zone will be useful since the championships take place in Florida.
“The team transitioned really well,” Scott said. “That’s important to see because you never know where the NCAA Regional will take you.”
Along with Inglis and Santoso, the Ducks will rely on All-American and Honorable Mention Cassy Isagawa. Isagawa, who is entering her senior season, led the team with a 72.95 stroke average last season.
“Her long game is probably the biggest factor,” Santoso said. “I love watching her drives.”
Incoming freshman Kelsey Ulep has been turning heads this season as well. The first-year player from Sacramento, California comes to Eugene after winning the 2014 Sacramento City Women’s Championship and placing 21st in the 2013 Callaway Junior World Golf Championships.
“It’s phenomenal to have someone so confident, especially as a freshman,” Scott said. “As soon as you see Kelsey hit a golf ball you can tell she can play.”
In two tournaments in Chicago and North Carolina last week that included numerous top-25 finishers from last season, the Ducks placed eleventh and eighth, respectively. In this weekend’s tournament at Stanford, they hope to keep improving.
“It will be a big step up,” Inglis said. “I really see this team going places.”
At the end of the road, the Ducks hope that one of those “places” is the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships.
Follow Jack Heffernan on Twitter @JHeffy13