SAN ANTONIO — The UTSA women's golf team will begin the Summer Batiste era at the Jim West Challenge on Monday-Tuesday, Sept, 10-11, at The Fazio Course (par 71/6,010 yards) at The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas.
The Roadrunners will compete against Augusta, Duke, Kent State, Missouri, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Southern Miss, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech, Tulsa and UNC Greensboro. The field will play 36 holes on Monday followed by 18 holes on Tuesday with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start both days. Live scoring will be provided at http://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=participants&tid=13769.
Former UTSA player and assistant coach Summer Batiste will begin her first season as head coach. She welcomes back four veterans from last year's team, headlined by all-conference performers Nikki Long and Julie Houston.
Long garnered second-team All-Conference USA accolades after leading UTSA with a 74.52 stroke average last season. The senior from San Antonio registered three top-five finishes, including a tie for fourth to help lead the Birds to the Texas State Invitational title. Long also was voted the C-USA Women's Golf Scholar Athlete of the Year and to the C-USA All-Academic Team.
Houston collected third-team all-conference honors after recording a 74.9 stroke average and five top-20 finishes. The junior from Allen tied for fourth to help lead UTSA to the Texas State Invitational crown and she tied for 20th with a 1-under-par 215 to guide the Roadrunners to 12th at last year's Jim West Challenge.
What: Jim West Challenge
When: Monday-Tuesday, Sept. 11-12
Where: The Fazio Course at The Club at Carlton Woods (The Woodlands, Texas)
Par/Yardage: 71/6,010
Tournament Field: Augusta, Duke, Kent State, Missouri, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Southern Miss, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech, Tulsa, UNCG, UTSA
Live Scoring: http://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=participants&tid=13769
2016 Team Champion: Florida State -24 (840)
2016 Individual Champion: Matilda Castren, Florida State -13 (203)
UTSA LINEUP
Ana Gonzalez (Fr. • Monterrey, Mexico)
• Two-time gold medalist in the Mexico National Olympics
• Three-time National Mexican Cup winner
• American Junior Golf Association winner at the 2017 Valero Junior Texas Open
• finished in the top seven twice at the Mexican National Amateur
Nikki Long (Sr. • San Antonio, Texas)
• Second-team All-Conference USA honoree in 2017
• 2017 C-USA Women's Golf Scholar Athlete of the Year
• Led UTSA with a 74.52 average and three top-five finishes last season
• Tied for fourth with a 221 (72-75-74) at the Texas State Invitational
Madison Kidd (So. • Lake Jackson, Texas)
• Registered a 77.44 stroke average last season
• Finished 12th with a 220 (74-74-72) at the Hawkeye El Tigre Invitational
• Tied for 18th with a 78-73-74—225 at the C-USA Championship
• Was 40th with a 236 (78-78-80) at the BYU at Entrada Classic
Becky McGeehan (Sr. • Gutersloh, Germany)
• Recorded a 76.74 stroke average last season
• Finished 18th after firing a 225 (74-77-74) at the Conference USA Championship
• Tied for 25th with a 76-77-78—231 at the Texas State Invitational
• Carded a 222 (75-73-74) to tie for 37th at the Maryb S. Kauth Invitational
Julie Houston (Jr. • Allen, Texas)
• Third-team All-Conference USA selection in 2017
• Ranked third on the team with a 74.9 average last season
• Fired a 1-under 215 (74-69-72) to tie for 20th at last year's Jim West Challenge
• Two-time U.S. Women's Amateur qualifier
*Alexandra Lessing (Fr. • Gundelfingen, Germany)
• Won the U18 Baden-Württernberg Girls Team Championship
• Runner-up at the International Match Play Trophy
• Carded a 73-74-71—218 for fifth at the RB German International Junior Championship
• Finished fifth at the Liechtenstein Open
* playing as individual
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