Spring Sport Preview: Women's Golf

The spring sports teams are all underway with the exception of women's golf who will tee it up in The Rome News Invitational to get their season back in gear. Gopetrels takes a look at the spring slate.

Head Coach Cindy Vaios enters her third season at the helm of the women's program and will be using an influx of new talent to attack the Petrels SCAC foes. After saying goodbye to four-time Academic All-American and four-time All-Conference First Team performer Katie Dale, Vaios will look to the preternatural golf skills of five new freshmen to help Oglethorpe vie for a conference crown.

Among the fresh faces on the 2010-2011 squad are four local products from the state and one golfer hailing from Florida. Comprising the starting lineup will be Chelsea Gatterdam of Pensacola, Fla (Pensacola Catholic), Dona Kioseff of Valdosta (Lowndes), Laura Landry of Marietta (Walton), Tori Van Wyen of Grayson (Grayson) and Lauren Williams of Newnan (Our Lady Assumption). Winter transfer Edda Bjarndottir from Iceland also joins the mix to help the Petrels tackle the spring schedule.

The spring slate is highlighted by another Oglethorpe host event steeped in tradition – the Jekyll Island Collegiate Invitational (March 17) with action taking place on the Indian Mound Course. The team will also travel to the Lookout Mountain Golf Club for the Reeder Cup (April 3) before closing with a chance to qualify for the NCAA Tournament at the 2011 SCAC Championships (April 21) in Marble Falls, Texas. The Petrels would certainly love to qualify for the big dance as Oglethorpe will serve as the host institution of the 2011 NCAA Division III Women's Golf Championships (May 9) back at the Mission Inn Resort in Florida.