SPOKANE, Wash.—The Gonzaga University women's golf program has seen a strong start to the 2014-15 season, and that start is reflected in the most recent Golfweek rankings The Zags are ranked 21st in the nation according to the most recent Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings, the highest ranking the squad has ever earned.
"We're very happy to be 21st," said women's golf head coach Brad Rickel. "We know it's early and that we've played only two tournaments, but it is nice to see the recognition."
As Rickel said, the Zags have participated in two tournaments so far in the 2014-15 season. They took fifth at the Ptarmigan Ram Fall Classic Sept. 8-9 and then finished seventh at the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational a week later.
Both tournaments brought in tough fields, but the Dick McGuire Invitational was particularly challenging as it featured nine of Golfweek's top 50 teams entering the year and three top 15 squads. In fact, the Zags' schedule has been so difficult, Golfweek has pegged it as the 33rd toughest in the nation so far. Rickel takes pride in that the Bulldogs have golfed against some of the best this season.
"That we have the 33rd best schedule is what we wanted to see," said Rickel. "We upped our scheduling and we're playing against better teams all the time."
The tough schedule will continue Tuesday, Oct. 8, and Wednesday, Oct. 9, when the Zags cross the Cascades and compete at the Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash. The tournament is hosted by Washington at the site of the 1998 PGA Championship and 2010 US Senior Open.
