Colorado University Athletics
Buffs, Coleman Twins Head to Pac-12 Championships
April 24, 2014 | Track and Field
CORVALLIS, Ore. - Competing in the nation's top women's golf conference hasn't always been an easy ride for the University of Colorado, but as with any tournament, the Buffaloes are trying to enter the 2014 Pac-12 Women's Golf Championships, which begin Friday at the Trysting Tree Golf Club, with an open mind.
The conference is so difficult that the top six teams of the 11 team field are ranked in the Golfstat (4/23) top 11. All but two teams are in the top 50. Defending NCAA Champion USC holds the top spot, with seven tournament victories under its belt. The Women of Troy have four golfers ranked in the individual top 20, including the reigning NCAA individual champion and Pac-12 Player and Freshman of the Year, 10th ranked Annie Park.
UCLA is Golfstat's No. 2, boasting three top-23 teams, including the nation's top individual, Allison Lee. Arizona State (No. 6), Washington (No. 8), Stanford (No. 9) and Arizona (No. 11) round out the top half of the conference, with each team placing at least one individual in the top 25.
Oregon and California are ranked 30th and 35th, respectively, while CU comes in at No. 47. No. 69 Oregon State and No. 79 Washington State close out the group.
The Buffs have seen plenty of their conference competitors throughout the season, including the fall finale at the Pac-12 Preview, where CU finished 11th amongst its conference foes and host team Hawaii. But plenty has changed since then. Each player has been working on something different throughout the season, with short game and putting points of emphasis for the whole team.
"You just really have to be persistent, and that's the nature of golf," CU head coach Anne Kelly said. "Every tournament we go into, I'm really excited because I know how talented our golfers are. Honestly, a couple tournaments, it's just disappointing because I thought we would perform better than we did, but I see signs. What I really like is the continual progress this spring and how hard these girls continue to work and how much they want to be successful. It'll come.
"Golf is a slow process sometimes, you have to have a lot of patience, but if you just keep knocking on the door and doing what it takes to be a good player, it'll happen. You can't predict when, but it will. That's the thing that I like about this team; they keep knocking on the door. I'm very hopeful that in one of our last few events, they'll really have a big breakthrough."
Even in the fourth year of her storied career at CU, senior Jenny Coleman continues to have breakthroughs. Coleman says that a small change in her full swing has helped her become more consistent in recent tournaments, while she's seen her short game and putting getting better and better. Those modifications have helped her to three consecutive top-15 finishes, which Coleman says have definitely been confidence boosters.
Adding to that confidence was Coleman's third place finish at the inaugural Silverado Showdown, which CU co-hosted with Oregon as the final tune-up before the conference championship. Coleman's 210 scorecard tied for the third lowest in program history at a 54-hole, par-72 tournament. At Napa, Calif.'s Silverado Resort and Spa, she also tied the school career and season records for rounds in the 60s, with seven and three, respectively. In doing so, she's one of two Buffs to have back-to-back rounds in the 60s and the only one to do so in a single tournament. Coleman adds to her career accolades as the program leader in birdies with 321, outpacing the nearest Buff by 55.
"I just really respect Jenny as a golfer because she is tough and works hard," Kelly said. "When things don't go her way, she doesn't get down and she doesn't feel sorry for herself, she just works harder. With that example and the toughness she displays, I think our younger players can really learn from that."
As one of two senior on the team, along with sister Kristin, Jenny Coleman has seen her team make leaps forward while experiencing many big changes, from the Big 12 to the Pac-12 and the graduation of one of CU's other greats - Emily Talley. Coleman says the Buffs have a "whole different team" than they did two seasons ago when they finished sixth at Pac-12s, and last year when she finished third individually. Though things are different, she says she wants to try to do just as well or better in her final conference championship.
"It means a lot," Coleman said of the experience. "I've been here for four years. It means a little bit more every year. This year I just want to make it the best."
Making the experience even more important is the fact that Jenny has had her twin by her side on the links.
"It means everything," Jenny said of playing with Kristin. "It's just great to have her here with me. We always do everything together, play golf together, after college we'll play more golf together. We'll keep it going."
Kristin Coleman says her unique experience has been great. She hopes their time playing golf together can continue this season, saying that a top eight finish at Pac-12s isn't out of reach for the team.
"It's going to be a lot of fun," Kristin Coleman said. "It's probably one of the toughest tournaments out there. It should be fun to see how we stack against the Pac-12 schools. The top schools like USC are extremely clutch under pressure and they have probably the best short games out there, so we've definitely learned some stuff playing with them."
Beyond what she's learned from the competition, Coleman says her extra effort around the chipping green has helped her game. Like her sister, Kristin Coleman has seen a lot of changes and growth to her team and game throughout her four years. In her senior season, she has picked up a top 10 finish, and two more in the top 25, including tying for 22nd at the Pac-12 Preview.
"Kristin has really come a long way," Kelly said. "She started out really well as a freshman and her sophomore year and struggled a little bit her junior year, and it was tough for her. She's really come back fighting her senior year. I'm quite proud of her too."
Coach Kelly will look to her seniors to provide added confidence to the young rotation that includes sophomores Alexis Keating and Jamie Oleksiew and freshman Natalie Vivaldi. Kristin says the rookies' focus should be on playing their own game. "Don't play anyone else's game," she said. "You know your own the best, so just focus on that and don't worry about the rest." Jenny adds to "stay confident and committed and go for it with no hesitations."
"Jenny and Kristin - they'll lead by example," Kelly said. "Alexis and Jamie both have had experience in the Pac-12 last year, so they kind of know what to expect and what pressures are there. Natalie's just a great competitor. She loves every minute of it. I think if they just look at it as fun, really we have nothing to lose, just go out there and see what happens."
Kelly believes that Vivaldi's enthusiasm will help her to a strong performance in her first ever conference championship.
"She's really come a long way," Kelly said. "As with any freshman, there's a huge adjustment period. She actually hasn't been playing golf all that long, I think only really since her freshman year in high school, so she's in relative terms a pretty young golfer. Everything is exciting to her. She's very competitive, and she likes putting herself under pressure situations. I think she'll do well."
Kelly knows that with her seniors competing in their final tournaments as Buffs, her newcomers will be a big part of the burgeoning program's future.
"I think the younger ones, it's their turn to step up now," Kelly said. "Someone needs to step into Jenny's role, and I think they're capable of doing it. They're maturing and they have to continue to do so over the summer. They also have to get a little bit tougher. It's not a criticism of them, it's just that's what you have to do as a golfer - be able to take the good times and the bad times and the good shots and the bad shots and just handle them even keel and learn from every shot you hit. I think the younger ones are very capable. I'm happy with their progress. They're working hard and they're growing up. I'm looking forward to the future as well."
The not-so-distant future has implications for when the Buffs will conclude their season. Moving up in the rankings after an eighth place finish at the stacked Silverado Showdown, the team hopes another solid performance will make the committee selection an easy one. The Buffs are looking to send someone to the NCAA Regionals for the fourth year running. The feat would be a first for the program, something Kristin Coleman believes would not only be impressive for an individual on the team, but also great for the school.
"I really want Jenny and Kristin to go to postseason," Kelly said. "I know they do too. I think what means the most to me is to be able to have them end their senior year on a high note and go to postseason. Honestly it's the type of team that if we do get to Regionals, you just never know. If they continue to improve, who knows what the future will hold in store."
The conference championship kicks off on Friday, April 25. No. 9 seed Colorado will be paired No. 6 Arizona and No. 11 Washington State. The teams will begin on the No. 10 at 9:40 a.m. PT. On Saturday and Sunday, seedings and pairings will be determined by team scores.
