Coach expects Cowgirls to step up game

Published 8:07 pm Sunday, December 3, 2017

McNeese State Cowgirl golf coach Mike Fluty said he expects more competitiveness from his players in the spring.

The Cowgirls will have a five-tournament schedule beginning with the Texas State Invitational in Kyle, Texas (Feb. 12-13) and concluding with the Southland Conference event April 16-18 in Texas (Montgomery).

In between they will participate in the Grand Valley Invite in McAllen, Texas (March 5-6 ), the Husky Invitational in Houston (March 19-20) and the Bobcat Desert Invitational (hosted by Montana State, April 9-10 in Goodyear, Arizona).

By the time the conference tournament arrives, Fluty said he hopes his Cowgirls will be in top form.

“I thought that we underachieved in the fall,” he said. “We did not get good play; at best it was sporadic. We did get off to a good start at Alabama (a seventh-place finish) and has some other good starts (fifth at ULM’s event and seventh at Sam Houston State’s), but it was a matter of us not finishing our rounds and not finishing a tournament.

“Going forward in the spring it’s going to be about competitiveness, mind-set and preparation in the offseason. Coming back we’re going to have to be both physically and mentally ready.”

Kennedy Bodfield, one of four seniors on the team, led the Cowgirls in scoring in the fall with a 77.73 average. That also ranked 16th in the conference.

Also in their final year with the Cowgirls are Olivia Hansen, Ashlynn Novak and Hannah Valentine.

Fluty said he held out two freshmen in the fall — Anika Hovda and Isabel Huntsmen — hoping to give them a redshirt season to develop, but could be forced to play them in the spring.

Both, he said, are capable of playing right now.

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Fluty said he was also bringing in a transfer who has the ability to jump right into the starting lineup.

She is Christina (Sunny) Kilian, a native of Munich, Germany, who played for South Dakota. During the fall she posted a 79.57 stroke average, playing in all five of the team’s tournaments.

The McNeese coach said he had tried to recruit her out of high school and that she decided to transfer to get to a warmer climate.

Kilian, who will be a second-semester sophomore, is the daughter PGA teaching pro Kristof Kilian.

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As for the conference race, Fluty said he sees Sam Houston State, Central Arkansas and Lamar as the teams to beat.

“This year the conference is as strong as I have ever seen it,” he said. “We will have to bring our very best and if we do that we can be competitive.”

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Billy Marino posted a hole-in-one at The National in Westalek last week, acing the 118-yard 12th hole with a 9-iron. It was the fourth of his career.

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The team of Dwight Gerst, Derek Smith and Derrian Webb won the recent three-person White/Gold/Red scramble at Mallard Cove. They shot a net score of 57.

Taking top honors in the net division with a 55 was the team of Brian Ortego, Robin Ortego and Jim Abrams.

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Louis Bonnette has written about local golf for the American Press since 1971. His column appears each Sunday. Contact him at 274-5689 or lbonnette@mcneese.edu