USI Women's Golf Outlook

USI Women's Golf: Stepping into the national spotlight

The University of Southern Indiana women's golf team will be one of the teams to watch in 2004-05 after a groundbreaking 2003-04 season.

The Screaming Eagles finished 2003-04 as one of the best 24 teams in the NCAA II with a fourth place finish in it first ever East Regional. USI started the regional in third after the first round with a team 328, but a 341 in the second round was just two much to bounce back from, shooting a 334 in the final round.

The USI women’s program, which was begun in 1995, also tied for second in the GLVC Tournament, marking the second time the history of the program that the Eagles finished within shouting distance of the conference title.

Overall, the Eagles have taken significant steps in the five years under Head Coach Don Bisesi. USI had three seconds and three thirds out of 11 tournaments in 2003-04.

The Eagles are led by All-GLVC performer sophomore Megan Pendergraff.

Pendergraff made an impact as a freshman, tying Amanda Zehner with an 80.6 strokes per round (spr). She was USI top player during the fall with a 79.9 spr and was second with an 81.2 spr during the spring. Pendergraff also held the team 36-hole record for a short time this season with a 151 (76-75) at the Cardinal Classic.

Hoping to continue marked improvement they enjoyed in 2003-04 are juniors Carly Ellard and Tara Ulmer. Ulmer made the Eagles biggest improvement, dropping her stroke average from 94.7 to 84.4 in 2003-04. Ellard also made significant improvement knocking 8.7 strokes off of her freshman average to 87.9.

Entering the 2004-05 season, the Eagles will be looking for increased contributions from junior Becky Goebel and sophomores Jennifer Dragan and Ashley Ramig.

The Eagles help fill the void left by the graduation of Jennifer Beaman and Brandi Irvin, who had career years. Beaman shot an average 84.0 spr and was USI top player at the GLVC Tournament with a sixth place finish, while nine strokes per round lower than her career average. Irvin had an average 84.3 spr, 7.3 strokes per round lower than her three-year mark.

To replace Beaman and Irvin, Bisesi has brought in a junior Alisha Luigs and freshmen Christina Helms and Audrey Ramsey.

Luigs transfers to USI from John A. Logan College where she was an honorable mention All-American and placed 16th in the 2003 NJCAA National Tournament.

Prior to attending John A. Logan, Luigs lettered in golf and basketball at Mater Dei High School in Evansville, Indiana. She was the SIAC and sectional medalist in 2000 and helped MDHS to qualify for the state tournament in 1997 and 1998.

Ramsey is currently a senior at Delta High School in Muncie, Indiana, where she is a four-year letterwinner and All-Conference performer in golf. She was the 2003 sectional medalist and a regional qualifier the last three seasons.

Ramsey finished her high school career by being named the East Central Indiana Athlete of the Year in girl’s golf and placing 26th as an individual in the 2003 Indiana State Finals.

Helms was a four-sport letterwinner at Greenfield-Central High School in Greenfield, Indiana. She was the Hoosier Heritage Conference medalist as a senior and became the first individual to advance to the regional in her only season on the varsity.

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