May 7, 2004

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - With the memory still fresh of its stirring comeback in the final round of the West Regional, the Western Washington University women's golf team makes its first appearance at the NCAA Division II National Championships this Wednesday thru Saturday at The Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes in Longwood, Fla.

Eight teams, two from each of the four regions, make up the national field. It is the third national appearance overall for the Vikings, who went twice while affiliated with the NAIA, placing eighth in 1998 and 10th in 1997.

Heading the NCAA II field is defending national champion and No.1 rated Rollins FL, which won the South Region by 62 strokes, having the top four finishers in medalist play. The South's other qualifier is Florida Southern, which has placed among the top two nationally in each of the last five years, winning three straight national titles from 2000 to 2002.

"Rollins is a great team, no doubt about it," said Western coach Dean Russell. "Do I think they're beatable? Yes. Have I conceded first place to them? No."

"Our goal is to go there and finish in the top four ... We're going in knowing that nobody is looking for us to win it. We're a sleeper. But we know that we're dangerous, that we can shoot low, and if we get everybody playing together, like at regionals, I think we can surprise some people."

Besides Rollins, the other regional champions qualifying for nationals were Minnesota State-Mankato from the North, Ferris State MI from the East and Northeastern State OK from the West. Completing the field are regional runner-ups Grand Valley State from the East and St. Cloud State MN from the North.

The Vikings entered the final day of the West Regional last Wednesday, trailing second-place and No.1-seed St. Mary's TX by 13 strokes. They proceeded to shoot 313, the best round of the day by nine strokes and tied for the best of the tournament, to finish second, four strokes ahead of the Lady Rattlers.

"The confidence and momentum we gained after coming back from 13 shots down to get in this thing are still very much with us," Russell said.

Western is led by senior Kelly White (Monroe), who placed 10th at nationals last year to earn second-team All-America honors. She tied for fifth at regionals, after finishing fourth in 2003. White has a team-best 79.6 scoring average.

Last year, Russell accompanied White to the national meet, which also was held in Florida.

"Going with Kelly, I got to see what playing golf in Florida is all about," said Russell. "We'll need a little more imagination around the greens with some of our shots because of the different types of grass we're going to play on."

Completing the Vikings' contingent is freshman Katie Bender (Tacoma/Bellarmine Prep) (80.2), sophomore Katja Trygg (Bainbridge Island) (80.9), junior Candice Wagner (Milton/Fife) (82.2) and senior Sarah Cooper (Marysville/Archbishop Murphy) (82.7).

Cooper placed seventh at regionals, with Bender 11th and Trygg 14th.

White took medalist honors at the Grand Canyon Fall Invitational, and was second at both the Cal State-Monterey Bay and Western tournaments. Trygg placed first at the Viking Invitational and was third at the Chico State tournament, and Bender finished sixth at the Grand Canyon Spring Invitational.