Razorback women ranked 13th by Golfstat.com

FAYETTEVILLE – The University of Arkansas women’s golf team capped off a solid fall moving up to a season-best 13th this week.

The Razorback women took part in three fall events with two third place finishes and one tie for fifth as head coach Shauna Estes-Taylor worked through new lineups and new looks for this year’s team.

The Razorbacks played those three events with an adjusted scoring average of 73.16 and moved up from No. 30 to 13 in two months.

The team’s rise in the rankings is due to group effort including a 292.67 team stroke average.  That mark would be the best average in program history if the season were over.

The Razorbacks have also benefited from the influx of new players who have contributed from the first tournament.  Freshman Gabriela Lopez leads the team with a 71.67 stroke average and has two top five finishes in three events.

Freshman Regina Plasencia has also taken part in all three tournaments this year and ranks fifth on the team with a 75.00 stroke average.  She has three rounds of par or better with a career-best 68 in the second round of the Old Waverly Bulldog Invitational.

The freshman help the Razorbacks rank 11th in Golfstat.com’s Freshman Class Impact Ranking as well.  They are averaging 74.08 per round.  Lopez currently ranks 10th among all players as well.

The newcomers have been steadied by a solid corps of returns for the Razorbacks this season.  Paced by two-time All-American Emily Tubert, Arkansas has a good foundation with experienced players this season.

Tubert currently ranks second on the team with a 73.44 stroke average followed by fellow junior Emma Lavy who checks in with a 73.56 average.

Senior Victoria Vela had to step up her game to return to the lineup after missing the first event of the season and has played to a 73.83 stroke average in the two most recent tournaments.

Also seeing time in the lineup this fall was senior Meagan Roberts and junior Emily Podzielinski, both of whom competed in the first tournament of the season.

Although the fall season is over, the Razorbacks continue team workouts this semester.  They return to the links Feb. 12-14 at the Puerto Rico Golf Classic, the first of five regular season tournaments.