Saturday, September 6
Lewisburg, Pa.
All Day
Radford University
at
Bucknell Invitational
YOUTH ON DISPLAY AS HIGHLANDERS OPEN SEASON AT BUCKNELL INVITATIONAL
9/5/2014 8:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Follow @RadfordWGolf
LIVE SCORING
RADFORD, Va. – When the Radford women's golf team tees it up Saturday and Sunday at the Bucknell Invitational in Lewisburg, Pa., there will be something different than in recent season-opening tournaments.
Â
For the past few seasons, the Highlanders have benefited from being a veteran group with a great deal of experience. However, that veteran group is practically gone following the graduation of three seniors who competed in every round last season.
Â
Radford does have two returners in the lineup for this weekend's 54-hole tournament in senior Alexandra Austin (a 2013 Big South all-conference golfer) and sophomore Olivia Jay. Austin enters her final season at RU with the program's career scoring average record of 76.91.
Â
Freshmen Khushboo Thiagaraj, Larissa Carter and Meagan Board qualified for the remaining three spots, giving the Highlanders a youthful lineup for their first outing of the season.
Â
Although they will be making their first appearance at the collegiate level, the trio has had plenty of success prior to RU. Thiagaraj climbed to as high as No. 96 in the AJGA Polo Golf rankings and was one of the top recruits in the Class of 2014 hailing from Virginia according to the organization.
Â
With over 50 wins in her junior career, Carter brings a résumé loaded with accomplishments to the New River Valley. Over the summer, the New York native qualified for the U.S. Girls' Junior Championship. Meanwhile, Board is a local talent from Roanoke, Va. She posted a sixth-place showing at the 2014 VSGA Girls' Junior and won the Roanoke City-County Women's Championship.
Â
Even with three freshmen in the lineup, head coach Jeff Beeler has high expectations for his team. "I like what I saw out of our team in the first two weeks of practice. Of course there is going to be a learning curve for our freshmen, but the setup for this tournament is ideal for them to get experience and hopefully establish some confidence moving forward. Once they get acclimated to the collegiate level, I believe this team has the potential to be quite successful."
Â
TOURNAMENT INFO
Name: Bucknell Invitational
Course (par / yardage): Bucknell University Golf Club (par 70 / 5,998 yards)
Field: 14 teams
Bucknell
Cleveland State
Columbia
Kutztown
Lehigh
McDaniel
Niagara
Radford
Rutgers
Seton Hall
Siena
St. Francis (N.Y.)
William & Mary
Youngstown State
Â
SCHEDULE OF PLAY
Friday, September 5 – practice round (18) – 11:20 a.m. (tee times)
Saturday, September 6 – first and second rounds (36) – 8:20 a.m. (shotgun start)
Sunday, September 7 – final round (18) – 8:20 a.m. (shotgun start)
Â
RADFORD LINEUP
Nine of the top-10 teams in last year's field are entered for this weekend, including defending champion William & Mary. The Tribe posted a 10-shot victory over Columbia and Seton Hall. RU finished sixth with its 944 (312-323-309). The Highlanders are paired with Bucknell and William & Mary for the opening 36 holes.
Â
THE COURSE
Founded in 1929 and designed by Emil Loeffler, the Bucknell University Golf Club is a semi-private facility as well as the home course for the Bucknell men's and women's golf teams. The course is ranked as one of the top college golf facilities on the east coast. The par 70 layout has hosted numerous U.S. Open qualifiers.
Â
UP NEXT
RU returns to action Sept. 14-16 at the William & Mary Invitational hosted by the Tribe. The 54-hole tournament will be contested at Kingsmill Resort's Plantation Course.
LIVE SCORING
RADFORD, Va. – When the Radford women's golf team tees it up Saturday and Sunday at the Bucknell Invitational in Lewisburg, Pa., there will be something different than in recent season-opening tournaments.
Â
For the past few seasons, the Highlanders have benefited from being a veteran group with a great deal of experience. However, that veteran group is practically gone following the graduation of three seniors who competed in every round last season.
Â
Radford does have two returners in the lineup for this weekend's 54-hole tournament in senior Alexandra Austin (a 2013 Big South all-conference golfer) and sophomore Olivia Jay. Austin enters her final season at RU with the program's career scoring average record of 76.91.
Â
Freshmen Khushboo Thiagaraj, Larissa Carter and Meagan Board qualified for the remaining three spots, giving the Highlanders a youthful lineup for their first outing of the season.
Â
Although they will be making their first appearance at the collegiate level, the trio has had plenty of success prior to RU. Thiagaraj climbed to as high as No. 96 in the AJGA Polo Golf rankings and was one of the top recruits in the Class of 2014 hailing from Virginia according to the organization.
Â
With over 50 wins in her junior career, Carter brings a résumé loaded with accomplishments to the New River Valley. Over the summer, the New York native qualified for the U.S. Girls' Junior Championship. Meanwhile, Board is a local talent from Roanoke, Va. She posted a sixth-place showing at the 2014 VSGA Girls' Junior and won the Roanoke City-County Women's Championship.
Â
Even with three freshmen in the lineup, head coach Jeff Beeler has high expectations for his team. "I like what I saw out of our team in the first two weeks of practice. Of course there is going to be a learning curve for our freshmen, but the setup for this tournament is ideal for them to get experience and hopefully establish some confidence moving forward. Once they get acclimated to the collegiate level, I believe this team has the potential to be quite successful."
Â
TOURNAMENT INFO
Name: Bucknell Invitational
Course (par / yardage): Bucknell University Golf Club (par 70 / 5,998 yards)
Field: 14 teams
Bucknell
Cleveland State
Columbia
Kutztown
Lehigh
McDaniel
Niagara
Radford
Rutgers
Seton Hall
Siena
St. Francis (N.Y.)
William & Mary
Youngstown State
Â
SCHEDULE OF PLAY
Friday, September 5 – practice round (18) – 11:20 a.m. (tee times)
Saturday, September 6 – first and second rounds (36) – 8:20 a.m. (shotgun start)
Sunday, September 7 – final round (18) – 8:20 a.m. (shotgun start)
Â
RADFORD LINEUP
Here is the lineup for our first tournament of the season #RUWG pic.twitter.com/kmZRrDLa8i
— Radford Women's Golf (@RadfordWGolf) September 5, 2014 Nine of the top-10 teams in last year's field are entered for this weekend, including defending champion William & Mary. The Tribe posted a 10-shot victory over Columbia and Seton Hall. RU finished sixth with its 944 (312-323-309). The Highlanders are paired with Bucknell and William & Mary for the opening 36 holes.
Â
THE COURSE
Founded in 1929 and designed by Emil Loeffler, the Bucknell University Golf Club is a semi-private facility as well as the home course for the Bucknell men's and women's golf teams. The course is ranked as one of the top college golf facilities on the east coast. The par 70 layout has hosted numerous U.S. Open qualifiers.
Â
UP NEXT
RU returns to action Sept. 14-16 at the William & Mary Invitational hosted by the Tribe. The 54-hole tournament will be contested at Kingsmill Resort's Plantation Course.
Thursday, April 23
Sunday, April 12
Thursday, April 02
Saturday, March 21
