Any coach will tell you they want their team to peak at the right time. That, of course, means the end of the season when the stakes are highest. So, considering the Portland State Women's Golf team just turned in its best tournament score in five seasons, now is a good time for the Big Sky Conference Championship Tournament.
 
The Vikings will take part in the Big Sky Championship on Monday through Wednesday at Wigwam Golf Club in Litchfield, AZ. There will be 18 holes of play each day in the 54-hole event with the tournament champion earning a bid to the NCAA West Regional.
 
While not listed among the favorites, the Vikings want to continue their upward trend this season and from past seasons. PSU comes off a 292-305-296=893 score at the Bobcat Desert Classic this past week. It was easily the best team score of the year and best by a Viking team since the 2019 Big Sky Championship (892).
 
Portland State, a decidedly youthful team with two freshmen and two sophomores among the six team members, would also like to improve their standing within the conference. Two years ago, PSU placed 11th at the Big Sky Championship. Last season, the Vikings improved to eighth. The goal this season would be to continue to rise in the standings and set the stage for future seasons.
 
Sacramento State is the prohibitive favorite to win the Big Sky Championship, with Northern Arizona, Weber State and Idaho all considered strong contenders. The Hornets won last year's title by 16 strokes and is the highest-ranked Big Sky team this year at 80th in the nation.
 
The team that third-year Viking Head Coach Bill Winter is building is still young. But the Vikings will be led by their two upperclassmen at the Big Sky Championship, senior Mariana Garcia Rosette (76.17 scoring average) and junior Tannica Porter (76.53). Garcia Rosette matched her season-best with an eight-over par 224 at the Bobcat Desert Classic while Porter also shot 224, a 74.67 scoring average.
 
The youth on the Vikings is rising as proven by freshman Cynthia Valerie Ong (77.41). Ong shot a career-best one-over 217 at the Bobcat Desert Classic. Her first-round 71 was the best of her young Viking career. She will go out as the Vikings number one player on Monday.
 
Sophomore Payten Shimizu (77.00) will be playing in her second Big Sky Championship. Last year, she was the top placing Viking with a five-over par 221 total, including a final-round, two-under 70.
 
Freshman Momo Udom (80.00) and sophomore Bayler Brundage (80.11) each had solid individual rounds at the Bobcat Desert Classic with a 73 and 74, respectively. They too will look to contribute at the Big Sky Championship.
 
Portland State currently has a 305.9 team scoring average which is the best since the 2019-20 season and 1.5 strokes better than the 2022-23 season.
 
The championship will be played on the Wigwam Blue Course for the first time. It is a 5,948-yard, par-71 course. The teams will play a five-for-four scoring format with individual substitutions allowed between rounds of play.
 
Portland State tees off in the first round on Monday between 9 and 9:40 a.m. and will be partnered with Montana and Montana State. Live scoring is available at www.golfstat.com.
 

BIG SKY CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP

Date: Apr. 15-17
Course: Wigwam Golf Club (Blue Course)
Par/Yardage: 71/5,948 yards
Live scoring: www.golfstat.com
Play: 18 holes each day. Tee times begin at 6:30 a.m. each day.
Live scoring: www.golfstat.com
Teams competing (10): Eastern Washington, Idaho, Idaho State, Montana, Montana State, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Portland State, Sacramento State, Weber State.
 
Monday tee times (Tuesday and Wednesday tee times based on standings)
6:30 a.m.-7:10 a.m. – Eastern Washington, Idaho State
7:20 a.m.-8 a.m. – Weber State, Northern Arizona
8:10 a.m.-8:50 a.m. – Northern Colorado, Sacramento State, Idaho
9 a.m.-9:40 a.m. – Portland State, Montana, Montana State
            Bayler Brundage, 9 a.m.; Payten Shimizu, 9:10 a.m.; Tannica Porter, 9:20 a.m.; Mariana Garcia Rosette, 9:30 a.m.; Cynthia Valerie Ong, 9:40 a.m.
 
HISTORY: This will be the 31st Big Sky Conference women's golf championship. Sacramento State won the 2023 title, played at Talking Stick Golf Club in Scottsdale, AZ. Portland State began its women's golf program in 1997-98, and between 2003 and 2014 won seven Big Sky Championships (2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2014).
 

PORTLAND STATE PLAYERS IN THE BIG SKY CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP

 
Mariana Garcia Rosette
2022: 73-75-77=225, t18th
2023: 75-79-76=230, t34th
 
Payten Shimizu
2023: 77-74-70=221, t13th
 
Bayler Brundage
2023: 80-85-79=244, 44th
 

TAP INS

• SCORING AVERAGES (rounds): Mariana Garcia Rosette, 76.17/18; Tannica Porter, 76.53/15; Payten Shimizu, 77.00/15; Cynthia Valerie Ong, 77.41/17; Momo Udom, 80.00/18; Bayler Brundage, 80.11/18.
• BIRDIE WATCHING (rounds): Mariana Garcia Rosette, 38/18; Momo Udom, 36/18; Payten Shimizu 35/15 (1 eagle); Tannica Porter, 35/15; Cynthia Valerie Ong, 33/17, Bayler Brundage, 30/18.
• The only senior on the team, Mariana Garcia Rosette ranks 12th all-time in competitive rounds played at Portland State with 87. Garcia Rosette ranks 15th all-time in career scoring average at 78.60.
• GETTING BETTER ALL THE TIME: Portland State's team scoring average is 305.9, which is 1.5 strokes better than last season and 4.9 strokes better than two seasons ago... among individuals, Mariana Garcia Rosette has a career-best 76.17 scoring average and is 1.66 strokes per round better than last year... also improving over last year is Payten Shimizu, who is 2.16 strokes better per round... Bayler Brundage has improved by 1.14 strokes per round.

 

FALL SEASON

Sept. 25-26, Big Sky Title IX Tournament, Talons Cove GC, Saratoga Springs, UT, hosted by Big Sky Conference, 309-311-296=916, 13^th of 14 teams                                   
Oct. 2-3, Pat Lesser Harbottle Invitational, Tacoma CC, Tacoma, WA, hosted by Seattle, 315-306-306=927, 20^th of 22 teams     
Oct. 9-10, Eagle Invitational, Indian Canyon GC, Spokane, WA, hosted by Eastern Washington, 293-305-311=909, 7th of 11 teams
                                   

SPRING SEASON

Feb. 12-14, Mountain Classic Match Play, The Classic Club, Palm Desert, CA, Wyoming/Boise State, 0-3 in matches, 8th of 8 teams
Mar. 7-9, Southern Utah Invitational, Sunbrook Golf Club, St. George, UT, Southern Utah, 323-296-314=933, 10th of 13 teams
Apr. 3-4, Wyoming Cowgirl Classic, Ak-Chin Southern Dunes, Maricopa, AZ, Wyoming, 313-313-303=929, 19th of 21 teams
Apr. 8-10, Bobcat Desert Classic, The Golf Club of Estrella, Goodyear, AZ, Montana State, 292-305-296=893, 13th of 17 teams
Apr. 15-17, Big Sky Championship, Wigwam Golf Club, Phoenix, AZ