Tournament Information
Course: Lakewood Ranch Golf Country (Par 72, 6,068 yards) in Lakewood Ranch, Fla. Teams (12): Akron, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Dayton, Eastern Michigan, Florida Gulf Coast, IPFW, Kent State, Northern Illinois, Oakland, Ohio, Western Michigan. Format: 36 holes each day Tee Times: 7:30 start each day Oakland Competitors: Elle Nichols, Alyssa Albright, Morgan Smith, Maddelyn Zack and Fiona Schmidt 2015-16 Stats: Oakland
Coverage
Live Scoring

ROCHESTER, Mich. -- The Oakland women's golf team opens its spring season at the Bowling Green Match Play Monday, Feb. 8 and Tuesday, Feb. 9 at the Lakewood Ranch Golf Country Club in Lakewood Ranch, Florida (par 72, 6,068 yards).

PRESEASON FAVORITES: The Golden Grizzlies tied with Youngstown State to finish at the top of the Horizon League in the conference's preseason coaches' poll. Both teams received 46 points and four first-place votes. Last season, Oakland finished second at the Horizon League Championship, 11 strokes behind champion Youngstown State

HISTORIC FALL: Morgan Smith's fall season was one for the record books as she became the first player in program history to record back-to-back rounds under-par as she closed her final round of the Cardinal Classic with a 2-under-par 70 and the first round of the Golden Grizzlies Invite with a 1-under-par 72.

Smith's round of 70 (-2) at the Cardinal Classic was a career-best, tying her for second lowest individual rounds under par in Oakland history. She also shot a three-day score of 221 (+5) which is the lowest 54-hole tournament score in program history. Elle Nichols followed her successful freshman season by matching a career-best individual round of 72 at the Dayton Fall Invitational.

As a team, Oakland won the Golden Grizzlies Invitational, their first tournament title since 2012. The Golden Grizzlies also shot a three-day score of 913 (+49) at the Cardinal Classic which was the second lowest 54-hole tournament score in school history.

TOP RETURNERS: Reigning Horizon League Golfer and Freshman of the Year Elle Nichols returns for her sophomore campaign as she finished her freshman season with a 76.79 stroke average, second-best single-season average in school history. She also earned All-Tournament honors at the league championship with a share of sixth place. Senior Alyssa Albright was an All-Horizon League and Academic All-League selection last season after ranking sixth in the Horizon League with a 78.79 stroke average.

Junior Morgan Smith finished runner-up at the league championship last season, the best finish by an individual in school history, while sophomore Fiona Schmidt played in six tournaments last season highlighted by a tie for fourth at the IPFW Invitational. Freshman Maddelyn Zack will begin the second half of her first collegiate season.

GAUDIO'S RESUME: Head coach Alyssa Gaudio begins her second season with the Golden Grizzlies helping guide Oakland to a runner-up finish at the Horizon League Championship and as the team improved 13 shots from the previous year's score. Under Gaudio, the team also broke the school's 54-hole school record.

Live scoring for the event will be available at golfstat.com.

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