Women's Golf | 10/13/2023 5:35:00 PM
Utah Tech women's golf heads across the country to close out its 2023 fall slate as part of the field for the Charlotte Invitational. The two-day, 54-hole event will be played this Monday and Tuesday at Cabarrus Country Club in Concord, N.C.
The trip to North Carolina marks the third time the Trailblazers have teed it up east of the Mississippi River.
During the COVID-19 Pandemic shortened 2019-20 season, Utah Tech traveled to Destin, Fla., where the team placed fifth at the UM-St. Louis Emerald Coast Classic (3/8-10/20). Then in the 2021-22 spring season, the Trailblazers returned to Florida for the Jacksonville San Jose Intercollegiate (16
th place; 2/14-15/22).
The five player lineup for the Trailblazers will feature senior
Grace Williams, sophomores
Jane Olson,
Brooke Gelinas and
Jenna Anderson, and freshman
Samantha Phelan.
HEAD COACH LINDSEY STUCKI: Lindsey Stucki (Utah Tech, 2007) is in her eighth season as head coach of the Trailblazer women's golf program. Last season, Stucki led the Trailblazers to six top-10 team finishes, highlighted by a third-place showing at their own UT Invitational along with a seventh-place showing in their WAC Championships team debut.
During her tenure as Utah Tech head coach, Stucki has guided the Blazers to a runner-up Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference team finish in 2019, and to consecutive fifth-place finishes at the Pacific West Conference Championships in 2017 and 2018.
Prior to her arrival at Utah Tech, she served as assistant golf professional at the Sand Hollow Golf Resort, and as an LPGA assistant teaching professional for the City of St. George. Stucki also spent two seasons on the coaching staff of the Hurricane High School girl's golf program, including a one-year stint as the Tigers' head coach in the 2010-11 season.
Stucki, who is an apprentice member of the LPGA T&CP, played collegiately at the University of Central Arkansas, where she helped lead the Bears to six-consecutive team tournament wins and a Gulf South Conference championship.
LAST TIME OUT: Utah Tech posted its second top-10 team finish of the 2023 fall season with an eighth-place showing at the Eastern Washington Eagle Invitational, which wrapped up play this past Tuesday at Indian Canyon Golf Course in Spokane.
The Trailblazers stood in the middle of the pack in a three-way tie for sixth place after opening with a 20-over par 304 on their Monday morning loop. However UT would fall three spots to ninth following a 23-over 207 in round two.
Utah Tech did rebound on Tuesday, carding an 18-over 302 to move up one spot to eighth overall with a team total of plus-61 913.
Williams posted her second top-20 individual finish in as many events as she tied with two others for 14
th at plus-11 224.
After opening with a 7-over 78, the senior bounced back with a 4-over 75 on Monday afternoon before closing with UT's low round of the tourney, an even par 71 on Tuesday. Williams wound up ranked t-second in the field in total birdies (9) and t-seventh in par-5 scoring (4.78).
Anderson also opened with a 78, but followed that up with rounds of 6-over 77 and 3-over 74 to join five other players tied for 32
nd at plus-16 229. Meanwhile, Gelinas (75-75-80) and Olson (73-80-77) followed in t-38
th at plus-17 230, and freshman
Mia Cesarek (78-82-80) tied for 63
rd at plus-27 240.
TRAILBLAZERS AT A GLANCE: Through three events this fall season, Williams leads the team with a 73.11 stroke average through nine rounds with a team-best five par or better rounds, while Olson is second 75.00. Phelan is third in stroke average at 75.17 through her first six collegiate rounds, followed by Anderson and Gelinas tied for fourth at 75.78 after three tourneys.
NEXT UP FOR THE TRAILBLAZERS: Utah Tech will kick off its 2024 spring slate as hosts of the Second-Annual Utah Tech Trailblazer Invitational, which will be played at Green Spring Golf Course on Feb. 11-13.
