Sacramento State Voted to Repeat as Big Sky Women’s Golf Champions
OGDEN, Utah (January 30, 2018) – The Sacramento State women’s golf team was picked to win the 2018 Big Sky Conference Championship, announced today by the conference office.
The coaches’ poll features votes from each head coach in the Big Sky Conference. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams. Flashing back to last year’s championship results, the top five teams remain the same.
The Hornets picked up 10 first-place votes for a total of 119 points to be selected as the top team. Sacramento State, the Big Sky’s best team coming out of fall play according to Golfstat, won the team playoff at the championships last year to earn its first title since 2007. The Hornets return four all-conference players from a year ago including junior Julia Becker (first), senior Astha Madan (second), sophomore Nishtha Madan (second), and sophomore Sofie Babic (second) – all finishing 21
st or higher in last year’s championship.
The Vandals received a pair of first-place votes and a total of 109 points for a predicted finish of second place. Junior Sophie Hausmann returns for the Vandals after a second-place showing in 2017. She’s the top individual player in the league after fall play. Joining Hausmann are all-conference teammates junior Michelle Kim (first) and senior Kendall Gray (honorable mention).
Portland State racked up 105 points to come in third. The Vikings return junior Tara Finigan and sophomore Valerie Hernandez, two all-conference second team selections. Add to that sophomore Jasmine Cabajar, honorable mention all-conference, and the Vikings have three of their best performers returning to the green.
Rounding out the top five was Northern Arizona with 90 points for fourth place. The 2017 Most Valuable Player junior Sofia Anokhina returns to lead the Lumberjacks. Northern Colorado was voted fifth, as sophomore Morgan Sahm, an all-conference third team pick is back for the Bears.
Eastern Washington received 67 points for sixth, followed by Montana State (56), Montana (53), Weber State (44), Southern Utah (39), North Dakota (21), and Idaho State (11).
The 2018 Big Sky Women’s Golf Championships will be held at the Boulder Creek Golf Club in Boulder City, Nev. from April 20-22. The championship team will receive the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship regional round.
2018 Big Sky Women’s Preseason Poll
1. Sacramento State (10) 119
2. Idaho (2) 109
3. Portland State 105
4. Northern Arizona 90
5. Northern Colorado 78
6. Eastern Washington 67
7. Montana State 56
8. Montana 53
9. Weber State 44
10. Southern Utah 39
11. North Dakota 21
12. Idaho State 11