USF Athletics

Brennan's Bulls Begin Conference Championship Run Sunday

April 14, 2018

EVENT: American Athletic Conference Championship
DATES: Sunday, April 15 – Tuesday, April 17
LOCATION: Hammock Beach Golf & Spa Resort, Palm Coast, Fla.
CONSERVATORY COURSE FORMAT: Par 72, 6,276 yards
LIVE SCORING: Golfstat.com
TWITTER UPDATES: @USFWGolf
CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
 
 
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, APRIL 14, 2018 – Six spring events have prepared USF women's golf well for the biggest event of the Bulls' season.

The American Athletic Conference Championship begins Sunday at Hammock Beach Golf & Spa Resort's Conservatory Course (par 72, 6,276 yards). The three-day event will feature 18 holes each day in Palm Coast, Fla.

Head coach Erika Brennan has seen steady improvement from the Bulls on and off the course since taking over the program prior to the spring season. The last time out, junior Maria "Nani" Merchan posted her fifth top-25 finish of the spring in USF's regular season finale at Tulsa's Dale McNamara Invitational on Tuesday, April 10.

Fans unable to attend the conference tournament can watch final round action on the American Digital Network via Facebook Live starting Tuesday at noon.
 
The Field
USF, No. 23 Houston, East Carolina, SMU, Memphis, UCF, Tulane, Wichita State, Tulsa and Cincinnati.

The Lineup

1. Maria "Nani" Merchan – The junior from Caracas, Venezuela leads the team with six top-25 performances, including five this spring. Merchan has swung her way into the top 10 twice this spring.
2. Natalia Villavicencio – The junior from Santiago, Chile has had a solid first season with the Bulls, tying for the team lead with two top-10 finishes and ranking second with four top-25 performances.
3. Diana Gonzalez Pinto – The senior from Bogota, Colombia has competed in all six tournaments this spring and has impressed Coach Brennan with her leadership on and off the course.
4. Napaphan "Ning" Phongpaiboon – The senior from Thailand has competed in four events this spring and eight total tournaments in her first season with the Bulls.
5. Mariale Merchan – The sophomore from Caracas, Venezuela has competed in six events this season (two this spring) and returns to the lineup for the first time since the SunTrust Gator Invitational (March 10-11). Merchan gained valuable experience competing in the American Athletic Conference Championship last spring.

 
Quotable
Head coach Erika Brennan's thoughts heading into the conference tournament:
"I think the girls are eager to get back after it, especially after Tulsa. We've had some good conversations that led to some breakthroughs for some players. I think with being back in our home state, certainly in better conditions and weather, they're excited to see their games more in line with the efforts they've put in this semester. As a coach, that excites me. The vibe is very positive right now and I think we're excited to see how things shake out."

Brennan on the Conservatory Course at Hammock Beach Golf & Spa Resort:
"I'm excited about the course. From everything I've heard about it, it seems like a fair test of golf and it's certainly a high-caliber golf course. That's awesome for a conference championship. Studying the yardage books and looking things over, it's a Florida course, so there's a lot of water and a lot of bunkers. It's going to put a premium on being in the correct spots off the tee. We have a team that is capable of hitting a lot of fairways in regulation. I think that suits our games well. It's really going to come down to the mental aspect. It's three days and 18 holes each day, which is a nice change of pace. We've played a lot of 36-18 events this spring. I'm really excited for them to test their focus and things we've worked on this spring on a golf course I think is fair and also fun."

Brennan on Maria "Nani" Merchan's solid spring season:
"She's had a breakthrough semester for us. I don't think that's surprising with her leadership on and off the course, as well as the efforts she's put in. She been tenacious and mentally tough working through adversity. She's definitely in a good place mentally and I think that's what is helping her shoot the kinds of scores she's been able to shoot. I would look for her to have another great event on this course. She's got momentum on her side."

Brennan on Mariale Merchan's return to the lineup:
"Mariale has had the opportunity to see this course for 72 holes. She put up some great scores there last year, so this is a course she's seen herself play well on. I think she's going to be a contributor for us this event for sure."
 
 
 About USF Women's Golf
Erika Brennan comes to USF after two seasons of leading the Southern Mississippi women's golf program. Brennan brings seven seasons of head coaching experience to the Bulls' program, having also served five seasons as women's golf head coach at nearby Saint Leo University, and nine years of collegiate coaching experience overall.

For the latest information on USF women's golf, follow the team on Twitter @USFWGolf and Facebook.