Feb. 22, 2009

SPOKANE, Wash. - Gonzaga University's women's golf team opens the 2009 spring season Monday and Tuesday at the Fresno State Lexus Golf Classic.

Second-year head coach Brad Rickel will put a young albeit experienced squad on the course with two true freshmen, two true sophomores and a redshirt sophomore teeing off Monday.

Sophomore Sage Suffecool will play in the No. 1 spot, with freshmen Stephanie Corey and Jessica Howe playing No. 2 and 3, respectively. Sophomore Rachel Sibbitt is in the four slot and redshirt sophomore Lauren Bierley is in the fifth position.

"We are young, but these ladies have already played a lot of golf and been in some pressure situations," Rickel said. "I think we will continue to build off what was a very encouraging fall season."

The Bulldogs accomplished a couple of firsts last fall. The team shot an 896 at the Colorado Heather Farr Memorial Invitational, the first time the Bulldogs have produced a sub-900 score for a 54-hole tournament. It also marked the first time Gonzaga had put together back-to-back sub-300 rounds, shooting a 299 and 297. Earlier in the fall season the Bulldogs had shot a 298 for the first sub-300 round since Sept. 25, 2006, when they shot a 297.

"This team showed me they can compete, now we have to show we can continue to compete," Rickel said. "We had a couple of tournaments we had a chance to win, so I think those experiences will pay dividends."

The Fresno State Lexus Golf Classic will be a 54-hole event played on the 6,262-yard, par 72 Copper River Country Club course. The 13 teams will play 36 holes Monday and a final-round 18 holes Tuesday. Host FSU has won two of the previous four tournaments, with the University of Tulsa capturing last year's tournament. The Golden Hurricane aren't in the field to defend their title.