Season Preview: Women’s Golf looks to take another step forward in 2019-20

By Bud Denega

| 2019-20 Schedule |

ADA — The Ohio Northern women's golf program will look to take another step forward in 2019-20. The Polar Bears have their vision fixed on the top of the conference following a fourth-place finish in 2018-19. 

"I feel real confident with the women's team," seventh-year head coach Chad Bucci said. "This is my best recruiting class, and I see the team doing exceptionally well."

The success of Northern will likely stem from junior Lydia Cranmer (Farmington Hills, Mich./Ladywood). She won four of the seven tournaments she teed it up in last season. 

Cranmer boasted a stroke average of 83.1 and her 83.8 average over her three years in Ada is the best in school history. She placed eighth at the Ohio Athletic Conference Championships, which earned her All-OAC distinction for the second consecutive year. She was also named OAC Golfer of the Week twice last season. 

Senior three-year-letter-winner Taylor Daniel (Columbia City, Ind./Columbia City) returns after holding the team's fourth-best stroke average of 93.6 as a junior playing in 15 rounds. Sophomore Emily McLaughlin (Bellefontaine) owned the team's fifth-best stroke average of 94.3 in 13 rounds. 

Senior lettermen Alexis Miller (Wayne/Elmwood) laid claim to a stroke average of 94.8 and sophomore Karolyne Staugler (Saint Henry) carded a 95.6 stroke average. Junior letter-winners Haley Watkins (Bellefontaine) and Angela Miller (Clarskville/Clinton-Massie) stroke averages of 98.1 and 103, respectively, round out the team's top 10 that return from a season ago. 

Other returning lettermen include seniors Brittany Bolton (Copley) and Lydia Shealy (Tiro/Buckeye Central) and junior Allison Logue (Cincinnati/McAuley). 

The Polar Bears will also welcome in a transfer from Saginaw Valley State. Junior Annika Neumann (Valley City/Avon) will look to factor into the lineup at Northern after posting a stroke average of 82.3 as a sophomore at SVSU.

Eight freshman will join Nuemann as first-year Ohio Northern golfers. 

Northern commences play for the 2019-20 season playing host to the ONU Fall Invitational Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.