For the Oregon women’s golf team, this is it.
One tournament, one chance for the Ducks to get to the NCAA Championships.
Oregon will make the 45-mile trek to Corvallis today for the NCAA West Regionals, which will be held at the Trysting Tree Golf Course. The Ducks will face a field of 19 other teams — 12 ranked in the nation’s top 50 — and must finish in the top eight or they’ll face elimination from the NCAA Championships.
“We have our work cut out for us,” Oregon head coach Shannon Rouillard said. “I believe that if we stick to our guns and play really well we’ll be [at the NCAA Championships].”
When Rouillard found out about the Ducks’ 12th seeding at the regionals, she said the Ducks would focus on the teams seeded 8-11. Those teams are No. 17 Michigan State, No. 35 Washington, No. 31 Furman and No. 26 Indiana. Oregon needs to beat all those teams to advance in the postseason.
“Our goal is to break 305 three days in a row,” Rouillard said.
Rouillard will take an inexperienced team to this year’s regionals. Senior All-American candidate Jerilyn White is the only current Oregon golfer who competed in the postseason last year, while White and senior Dawn Berry competed two years ago. White and Berry will both head for Corvallis this season, and joining them will be junior Kathy Cho, freshman Lacy Erickson and sophomore Megan Heckeroth.
“With our team, and how inexperienced they are, who knows what we could shoot,” White said. “I’m keeping positive thoughts, though.”
The Ducks start play today and conclude Saturday in Corvallis.