TOWSON, Md. - Towson enters its fifth year of women's golf with renewed enthusiasm after limping through an injury-riddled 2009-10 year that showed early promise.
The Tigers will have a better feel for where they are after hosting the 3rd Annual Towson University Women's Invitational this coming Monday and Tuesday at Hillendale Country Club. Joining Towson will be Fairfield, Fairleigh-Dickinson, Hampton, Hofstra, Long Island, Mt. St. Mary's and St. John's.
Defending champion Yale and 2008 champ Longwood are not competing this year, opening the way for a new champion to be crowned.
Play gets underway Monday morning at 8:00 a.m. The public is invited to attend.
Despite their two top golfers, senior Elisabeth Herzfeld (academic redshirt) and junior Sara Eichelberger (medical redshirt), not competing last year, the Tigers stunned a field of 20 teams, holding off Boston College, to win the Dartmouth Invitational by two strokes. It was Towson's fifth tournament championship in its young history.
The Tigers have those big guns back and could make a lot more noise in the Colonial Athletic Association tournament this year after a ninth place finish in 2010.
"Injuries were costly last year," said head coach Brian Yaniger. "But I was very pleased with the progress we made under assistant coach Kate Stepanek. She really helped us begin preparations for this year last season. The women's team is Kate's to oversee. She has complete control of it. And we're both optimistic that we could finish in the top half of the conference this year."
Georgia State and UNC Wilmington are once again the CAA front runners. Both were top 40 programs last year. James Madison is strong too along with William & Mary. But after those programs Yaniger sees the Tigers moving up.
"We could challenge for the championship," said Yaniger. "It's not beyond the realm of possibility. It's a long shot just like the men were a long shot last year but they won it. We have players who on any given weekend can shoot the numbers."
While sitting out the 2009-10 season Herzfeld, who shares the school record with Eichelberger for low round with a 73, worked on her game. In addition to hitting the long ball she has demonstrated better control, avoiding the pitfalls that lead to big numbers. Her ball striking is her strength.
"She is vastly improved," said Yaniger. "There's no doubt in my mind this could be a major year for Elisabeth."
Back after recovering from wrist surgery, Eichelberger, who is a two-time National Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar carrying a 3.934 grade point average, is another impactual player capable of posting low scores.
"So far her wrist is holding up," said Yaniger. "With her experience and her ability we expect Sara to have a pretty solid year. Her driver is a bit of an issue but her recovery shots are good and her putting is okay. You don't make up for a year of not playing in a month. She'll be much stronger in the spring than the fall."
Junior Airielle Dawson is back. She was part of the wounded group last fall but rebounded for a successful spring that culminated with a third place finish in the PGA of American Minority Collegiate Golf Championship when she closed with a career low 74.
"Airielle is exceptional athletically," said Yaniger. "That real helps her. She has a very fluid, powerful swing. Her chipping and putting have to come around for her to reach the next level."
Checking in at the number four spot is senior Emily Kwak who transferred to Towson last year after helping from Redlands (Okla.) Community College to back-to-back NJCAA Women's National Championships in 2008 and 2009. She became the youngest golfer ever to win the Maryland State Women's Amateur Championship when she took that title in 2005 at the age of 16.
"We're hoping Emily can get back toward the golf scores she had a couple of years ago," Yaniger said. "She's a very talented player but she's struggling a little now. But she works very. There's going to be a moment when it all turns around for her. We're very confident that's going to happen for her."
Freshman Casey VanDyke, the 2008 and 2009 Cecil County high school girls champion, is a contender for the fifth spot along with sophomore Chelsea Harris and freshman Victoria Petrosky.
"Casey is very capable of shooting low numbers," said Yaniger. "It would not surprise me if she had a couple of rounds under par this year. Her ball striking is impeccable. What we want to help her with most is her decision making on the golf course."
Harris has improved markedly from her freshman year when she played in nine of the 11 events. The injuries to the other players opened the way for her to compete.
"This is not the same person who walked on to our campus a year ago," Yaniger said. "One year of college makes a difference in the maturing. It's just great that she's a part of our program. She's working hard on her short game."
Petrosky has already established herself as the team's longest ball hitter.
"Victoria has a tendency to get down on herself if she's not playing well," Yaniger said. "We want her to understand that five people qualify for a tournament and that her goal is to qualify. It doesn't matter if she's first or fifth. The goal is to qualify."
The early part of the fall season will be very busy. Just two days after hosting their invitational, the Tigers will travel to Hanover, N.H. where they'll attempt to defend their Dartmouth title September 17-18. Later they will compete in the Winthrop (South Carolina) Fall Women's Tournament, the Tribe (Richmond, Va.) Invitational and the Spider (Richmond, Va.) Invitational.
