USF Athletics

Host Bulls Start Spring at Florida Challenge on Monday

January 27, 2019

EDITOR'S NOTE: Monday's Florida Challenge has been shortened to 18 holes due to overnight rain and will begin with an 11 a.m. shotgun start.


EVENT: Florida Challenge
DATE: Monday, Jan. 28
LOCATION: Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club
FORMAT: 18 holes (par 72, 6,240 yards)
LIVE SCORING: Golfstat.com
TWITTER UPDATES: @USFWGolf
 

By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, JAN. 27, 2019 – Fans are welcome to watch the host Bulls start their spring season at the Florida Challenge.

Action takes place Monday at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club, where USF will take on rival UCF, Miami, Florida Atlantic, Florida International and Jacksonville. Originally scheduled for 36 holes, the tournament has been shortened to 18 due to overnight rain and will begin with an 11 a.m. shotgun start.

USF will look to build on a successful fall season that saw the Bulls post a pair of runner-up finishes and place in the top 10 at all four events.

The last time out, senior Natalia Villavicencio captured an individual title while the second-place Bulls set the program's new low round and low round vs. par records with a 5-under 283 in the final round of the FIU Pat Bradley Invitational on Oct. 23. USF also set the school's new 54-hole vs. par total with a 1-over 865, which is the Bulls' new best 54-hole total for a par-72 tournament.

The one-day Florida Challenge will mark the first of five spring events for the Bulls leading up to the American Athletic Conference Championship that's set for April 14-16 at Hammock Beach Resort in Palm City, Fla.

The Lineup

1. Natalia Villavicencio – The senior from Santiago, Chile heads into the spring season with momentum after capturing USF's first individual title since 2015 with a one-shot victory at the FIU Pat Bradley Invitational. Villavicencio led the Bulls with a 72.2 scoring average and posted three top-25 performances in four events.
2. Ramya Meenakshisundaram – The instant-impact freshman from Jacksonville, Fla., shined as a lineup regular in the fall with a 73.1 scoring average and tied for second in her first event at the USA Intercollegiate.  
3. Jacqueline Twitty – The senior from Chapin, S.C., continues her first run as a Bull after placing third at the FIU Pat Bradley Invitational with a 4-under 212. The transfer from the University of Louisville registered a fall season scoring average of 72.9, which ranked second on the USF squad.
4. Sadie Dewinton-Davies – The junior from Newtown, Wales has been another key lineup contributor in her first season at USF. The transfer from Western Texas College competed in all 12 fall rounds, finishing with a 74.1 scoring average and tying for 11^th place in her first event at the USA Intercollegiate.
5. Sophie Stone – The senior from Oxford, England returns to the lineup after competing in two fall events. Stone carded a 73 in the opening round of the fall and helped the Bulls place second out of 17 programs at the USA Intercollegiate on Sept. 17.

Individuals
Diane Burress – The sophomore from Weirsdale, Fla., will make her season debut after competing in two events in 2017-18. Monday will mark the second time Burress has participated in the Florida Challenge.

Emily Cardella – The senior from Tampa also will be making her season debut. Prior to USF, Cardella played three seasons on varsity team at Tampa Catholic High School, qualifying for district and regionals twice.
 
Quotable
Head coach Erika Brennan on the Bulls' preparation for the spring season opener and keys to success at the Florida Challenge:
"We can't wait to test our progress this week at the Florida Challenge. Top to bottom, the girls have improved rapidly in the preparation for this first event and each of them have seen themselves post solid scores.  The wet conditions will alter our strategy, but these girls are battle tested and we know we are capable of starting the season off on a great note.  Patience, combined with being aggressive, will be major points of emphasis for us this week."
 
Assistant coach Dalton Stevens' thoughts on USF hosting a tournament to start the spring:
"We are very excited to get out and get our spring championship season underway this coming Monday at the Florida Challenge. We made a lot of great strides as a program this fall and we are looking to continue that momentum into the spring season. The team has been working really hard to prepare for Monday and we have had some great practices with lots of positive signs leading up to the season opener. Our team is very excited for the opportunity to play in front of our home fans and the chance to defend one of our home courses. We hope to see everyone out there supporting our Bulls!"
 
About USF Women's Golf
Nine-year veteran head coach Erika Brennan completed her first spring season with USF in 2018. Juniors Natalia Villavicencio and Maria "Nani" Merchan highlighted the 2017-18 season, combining to post four top-10 performances and 11 top-25 finishes, including eight in the spring. The 2018-19 roster includes three newcomers: transfers Jacqueline Twitty and Sadie Dewinton-Davies along with freshman Ramya Meenakshisundaram. The Bulls opened the 2018 fall season with a runner-up finish at the USA Intercollegiate and also placed second at the FIU Pat Bradley Invitational to wrap up their four-tournament run before the spring.