KU women's golf reflects on successful Fall season before Spring
LAWRENCE (KSNT) - The Jayhawks are recovering this offseason, while preparing for a long spring.
"[It's] probably the best that it's been since we've been here, from a rankings standpoint," graduate senior Abby Glynn said.
KU women's golf moved up 24 spots in the rankings to break into the top 50, which it hasn't managed to do for a while.
"First and foremost, our team chemistry is outstanding," Glynn, a Washburn Rural graduate, said. "I think that's the most important thing because, if we can be friends and support each other outside of golf, that only carries over into golf and betters us."
The team has six new players on its 11-woman roster.
"New faces, but new energy and excitement about what we're trying to build and how great we're trying to be," head coach Lindsay Kuhle said. "But, I'm really happy with how we performed and I think that we have a chance."
All of the new players have skill and bring depth to the lineup.
"That's the thing that's really helping us," Kuhle said. "We don't know who's going to get in the lineup... only five travel. We have teammates that are pushing their teammates to make the line up."
Kuhle is new to the program, too. In her second year leading the Jayhawks, some of her amped-up practices are already showing big improvements.
"I've loved her," Glynn said. "She's changed the program and continues to better the program. Brings in good players, so I'm excited to see what's to come this spring."
Kuhle's practices go beyond physical improvement.
"One thing we love to focus on, as coaches here at KU, is short game, wedges and putting," Kuhle said. "But, then, we also work a lot on mental skills. So, we do a lot of mental skill training. We talk a lot about pre-shot routines. At college with elite golfers, that's where you can really score."
This improvement comes at a convenient time. The NCAA approved to increase the number of teams that make it to the tournament by three. Now, 27 teams get a shot at the trophy.
"Our goal right now is just one tournament at a time and to make the regional championship, which is 72 teams," Kuhle said. "We haven't made it since 2014, and that's the one time that we've made it in our program history."
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