Ladyjacks Travel to McAllen for UTRGV Invitational
3/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
2016 UTRGV Invitational
Sunday, March 6 – Tuesday, March 8, 2016
McAllen Country Club | McAllen, Texas
Opening Tee
Stephen F. Austin returns to the Lone Star state, heading south to McAllen for the 2016 UT-Rio Grande Valley Invitational, running Sunday, March 6 through Tuesday, March 8.
Tournament Information
The 2016 UT-Rio Grande Valley Invitational will be a 54-hole event, being held at the McAllen Country Club in McAllen. The tournament course will be a par-71, measuring 5,880 yards with 18 holes being played each day. The tournament will feature a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. each day.
Tournament Field
The event in McAllen will feature a Southland Conference-heavy field as SLC schools comprise six of the 11 competitors. SFA will be joined by Houston Baptist, Incarnate Word, Lamar, Sam Houston State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, giving each other a glimpse of each other heading into the SLC Championships. Host UT-Rio Grande Valley, Louisiana-Monroe, Wichita State, Texas A&M International and Texas A&M-Kingsville round out the 11-team field.
Ladyjack Scorecard
The Ladyjacks will head to the valley with an experienced field, led by seniors Sydney Reed and Mackenzie Steiner along with juniors Courtney Ford, Ann Holcomb and Jessie White. Holcomb is coming off a top-20 showing at the Battle of the Rock, tying for 12th overall, while White continues to lead the Ladyjacks with a 77.35 scoring average. Reed is right behind at 77.90, registering three top-20 finishes on the year.
Valley Homecoming
The tournament in McAllen will mark a homecoming of sorts for Ladyjack coach Stefanie Gray. One of the top golfers in UTRGV (formerly UT-Pan American) history, Gray finished her career with 16 top-10 finishes, including 10 top-five showing, and was a four-time All-Independent selection, earning Golfer of the Year honors in 2003-04. The UT-Pan Am Female Student-Athlete of the Year in 2005-06, Gray still holds a number of program records.
Last Time Out
SFA made the trek to California, finishing sixth at the 2016 Battle at the Rock in Riverside, California. The Ladyjacks were led by Ann Holcomb, who finished tied for 12th overall, with Sydney Reed (25th), Jessie White (27th) and Jamee Jorgensen (29th) all finishing among the top-30. It marked the end of a busy start to the 2015-16 season as the Ladyjacks competed in seven tournaments in six different states.
Looking Ahead
Following this weekend’s tournament in the Rio Grande Valley, SFA heads north to the DFW Metroplex as the Ladyjacks get set to co-host the Spring Break Invitational in Trophy Club. Teaming up with Oral Roberts, the Ladyjacks will host co-host the event March 14-15.
-SFA-
