The Portland State women's golf team will try again to start its spring season when the Vikings travel to the Fresno State Lexus Classic on Mar. 1-2. The spring season was scheduled to open on February 7-9 at The Gold Rush Golf Tournament, hosted by Long Beach State in Seal Beach, CA. But, heavy rains forced cancellation of that tournament.
So, the Lexus Classic will get the Vikings going down the road to the Big Sky Conference Championship which comes on Apr. 19-21 in Chandler, AZ. The Vikings are now scheduled to compete in five springs tournaments, including the Big Sky Championship.
PSU goes after a fifth Big Sky Conference title this spring, and if the Vikings stay healthy, should have a realistic chance. The Vikings have won four Big Sky titles in the past seven years, winning in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2008.
The Lexus Classic is a 54-hole event being played at Copper River Country Club. The tournament includes 36 holes on Monday and the final 18 on Tuesday. Fourteen teams will be competing, including: Boise State, Cal Poly, Nevada, Eastern Washington, Fresno State, Cal State Fullerton, Sacramento State, San Jose State, Santa Clara, Seattle, UC Davis, UC irvine, Portland State and Gonzaga.
Portland State's starting lineup at The Lexus Classic includes senior Danielle Ranallo, juniors Alexia Brown and Kalyn Dodge, sophomore Tiffany Schoning and freshman Britney Yada.
The Vikings had hoped to have senior Stephanie Johns playing this week, but a back injury that caused her to miss three of four fall tournaments has flared up, preventing her from getting the start once again. Her absence is a loss as she was an All-Big Sky Conference performer in 2008-09 with a scoring average of 77.43.
Three newcomers had the best fall performances for the Vikings in four tournaments: Schoning, a transfer, led the Vikings with a 78.67 scoring average. Dodge, also a transfer, had a 79.22 scoring average. Yada, a freshman, was third on the team with a 79.42 scoring average.
Brown, who was second on the Vikings in scoring last year (79.61), had an 80.78 fall scoring average. Ranallo, who competed in all four fall events had an 80.42 scoring average. A fourth-year player, Ranallo ranks third all-time at Portland State in rounds played (98).
The Copper River Country Club is a 6,077 yard, par 72 course. Live scoring is available at www.golfstat.com.
VIKINGS PICKED FOURTH: The Big Sky Conference preseason coaches poll for 2010 has the Vikings selected to finish fourth. PSU comes off a 2009 season in which it placed fifth in the Big Sky.
School, (first-place votes), points
1. Northern Arizona (6), 62
2. Sacramento State (3), 59
3. Montana, 46
4. Portland State, 41
5. Northern Colorado, 33
6. Weber State, 32
7. Montana State, 27
8. Eastern Washington, 16
9. Idaho State, 8
THE VIKINGS IN 2010: Head Coach Kathleen Takaishi leads her nine-player squad for a third season. The Vikings have three seniors, including 2009 first team All-Big Sky Conference golfer Stephanie Johns (79.67 scoring average in the fall). Other returning letterwinners include: seniors Justine Hix (80.89) and Danielle Ranallo (80.42), juniors Aubrey Vaughn (80.67) and Alexia Brown (80.78), and sophomore Corrine Gilbertson (DNP).
Three newcomers, sophomore Tiffany Schoning (78.67), junior Kalyn Dodge (79.22) and freshman Britney Yada (79.42) were the Vikings top scorers through four fall events.
PSU was 6-3 in head-to-head scoring against other Big Sky schools during the fall.
SPRING SCHEDULE:
Mar. 1-2 @ Fresno State Lexus Classic
Mar. 8-10 @ UNLV Spring Invitational
Mar. 29-30 @ Anteater Invitational (UC Irvine)
Apr. 5-6 @ Wyoming Cowgirl Classic
Apr. 19-21 @ Big Sky Conference Championship
2009-10 VIKING GOLF MEDIA GUIDE
