COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas A&M women's golf team is ranked No. 15 in the Golf World/NGCA preseason coaches' poll to begin the 2012-13 season.
The experienced Aggies return 10 letterwinners from a 2012 team that finished tied for 16th at the NCAA Championship. A&M opens the year at the Mason Rudolph Intercollegiate Sept. 21-23 in Franklin, Tenn.
Head coach Trelle McCombs enters her sixth season in Aggieland and guided the Aggies to their fifth straight NCAA Regional appearance last year and their fourth NCAA Championship appearance in her five years with the program.
The top returner for A&M is junior Katerina Ruzickova (Ostrava, Czech Republic), who was recently named one of Golf World's Top 50 Female Players to Watch this season. Also back are seniors Sarah Beth Davis (Victoria, Texas), Susy Grunden (Krum, Texas), Mary Michael Maggio (Conway, Ark) and Aly Smith (Houston, Texas); juniors Janell Lysack (Katy, Texas), Chelsea Mocio (Fort Worth, Texas) and Natalie Reeves (Euless, Texas); and sophomores Patricia Garcia (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) and Kirby Kramer (Houston, Texas).
One newcomer in freshman Callie Scheffler (Dallas, Texas) joins the team this season, while redshirt freshman Alex Neal (Baird, Texas) is also eligible for competition.
Defending NCAA champion Alabama claimed the top spot in the poll, earning 19 of the 27 possible first-place votes, and is followed by UCLA, USC, Arizona State and Duke.
GOLFWORLD/NGCA COACHES POLL
|
Rank |
Team |
Points |
NCAA |
|
1. |
Alabama |
655 |
Win |
|
2. |
UCLA |
638 |
8th |
|
3. |
USC |
578 |
2nd |
|
4. |
Arizona State |
559 |
T-6 |
|
5. |
Duke |
525 |
15th |
|
6. |
North Carolina |
470 |
10th |
|
7. |
Auburn |
452 |
DNP |
|
8. |
Vanderbilt |
380 |
11th |
|
9. |
Florida |
354 |
12th |
|
10. |
LSU |
324 |
3rd |
|
11. |
Georgia |
311 |
DNP |
|
12. |
Virginia |
294 |
4th |
|
13. |
Tennessee |
272 |
19th |
|
14. |
Arizona |
260 |
DNP |
|
15. |
Texas A&M |
255 |
T-16 |
|
16. |
Colorado |
239 |
18th |
|
17. |
South Carolina |
237 |
5th |
|
18. |
California |
226 |
DNP |
|
19. |
Oklahoma |
200 |
T-6 |
|
20. |
Baylor |
176 |
T-16 |
|
21. |
Oklahoma State |
175 |
DNP |
|
22. |
Purdue |
173 |
9th |
|
23. |
Arkansas |
143 |
23rd |
|
24. |
Pepperdine |
127 |
21st |
|
25. |
N.C. State |
126 |
T-13 |