After posting one of the best regular season records in the programâÄôs recent history, the No. 40 Minnesota womenâÄôs golf team has high hopes heading into the Big Ten Championships this weekend.
Unfortunately for Minnesota, history is not on its side when it comes to the conference tournament.
In the past decade, the Gophers have not finished better than seventh place and have posted four last-place finishes in that same span.
The last and only time the Gophers have managed to win the Big Ten Championships was in 1989.
Despite their historically poor performance at the Big Ten Championships, the Gophers end the regular season with a strong record of 81-51-1 (.609), several top-five finishes and a No. 40 ranking on Golfweek.com.
Heading into this weekend, Minnesota also has experience on its side, as this will be the fourth time that seniors Mary Narzisi, Teresa Puga, Samantha Sommers and Michele Edlin will be participating in the Big Ten tournament.
This weekend will also be the final opportunity for Minnesota to bolster its résumé before the NCAA regional tournament. With a solid performance this weekend, Minnesota will likely solidify a spot in the NCAAs.
The Gophers will kick off play Friday at the Lake Shore Country Club in Glencoe, Ill.
High finish critical for men
For the Minnesota menâÄôs golf team, the Robert Keppler Invitational is not only its last tournament of the regular season, but it may also be the most important.
Despite a disappointing finish last weekend at the Illini Spring Classic, where they placed ninth, the Gophers have pieced together a solid spring season.
Still, Minnesota will need nothing short of a stellar tournament this weekend to push its record above .500, a necessity if the team is to make the NCAA regionals.
This weekendâÄôs invite will also be an important opportunity for the Gophers to gain some momentum before they head to the Big Ten Championships next weekend.
While the team has had the luxury of consistently strong play this season from senior Donald Constable âÄî currently the No. 76 menâÄôs golfer in the NCAA âÄî and sophomore Erik Van Rooyen, Minnesota will need to have several underclassmen step up in order to have any type of success this weekend or in postseason play.
