March 21, 2009
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Fighting Illini women's golf team travels out west to Junction City, Ore., for a different spring break trip from years past. Illinois will compete in the 15th annual Duck Invitational for the first time in school history. The 54-hole event is slated for Monday and Tuesday, March 23-24, with a shotgun start each day at 10:30 a.m. CT at the par-72 Shadow Hills Country Club.
"It's a new tournament for us, so we are playing against some new teams, which will be a nice change," head coach Renee Slone said. "Most of the team members haven't been to this part of the country before, so they are looking forward to the trip and having some new experiences."
Illinois joins host Oregon along with Missouri, Montana, Oregon State, Portland, Portland State, San Francisco, UC Davis, UC Riverside, Washington State and Wisconsin in the 12-team field.
"Since we are such a young team, we are trying to keep everything focused on ourselves and the process rather than getting wrapped up in tournament finishes and scores," Slone said. "With each tournament, everyone is gaining more experience and learning about themselves."
Freshman Samantha Sloan has led the Illini in four straight tournaments and tallied a career-low tournament total (226) two weeks ago at the Eagle Landing Invitational. The Lansing, Ill., native is also the team's stroke average leader with a 77.05 mark in the fall and spring combined.
"Sammi is really striking the ball well and hitting a lot of greens in regulation, but she also knows she needs to work on her putting," Slone said. "She is an extremely hard worker and very diligent."
Three freshmen, Katelin Dilger, Nora Lucas and Kaitlyn Wampler, and senior Nancy Featherstone join Sloan on the tournament roster. Dilger, Lucas and Featherstone each notched season-best totals at the Eagle Landing Invitational, while Wampler will participate in her third career tournament.
After the tournament, Illinois will remain out west to practice at two of the top courses in the nation, Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes.
"Those are some of the best courses in the world, so the team is very excited about that," Slone said. "For some, it will be a once in a lifetime experience."
For coverage of the Illinois women's golf team at the Duck Invitational, visit fightingillini.com for a full recap and results at the end of each day's action.
