TOLEDO, Ohio - Toledo will open out its spring season this weekend when it travels to Phoenix, Ariz. to compete in the Grand Canyon Invitational. The Rockets will be participating in the tournament at the par-72, 6,110-yard GCU Golf Course on Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 23-24. An 8:00 a.m. shotgun start will be utilized each day with 36 holes the first day followed by 18 more on the second day.
 
Head Coach Jenny Coluccio said her squad is ready to get outdoors for tournament play after working hard during winter workouts.
 
"Our focus as a team during the winter were on ground force interaction and increasing our functional training for golf," Coluccio said. "We have seen the results and improvements in a variety of ways from each player. (Graduate assistant) Hunter (Postier) is a great asset to our team. She has created an encouraging and challenging culture for our strength and conditioning."

Coluccio said she observed a great deal of improvement last fall in her first season at the helm of UT's program.  The Rockets posted a pair of second-place finishes competing against a strong schedule and are ready to carry that momentum into the spring.
 
"One of our largest growth areas in the fall was our mindset on the course," Coluccio said. "They worked hard on self-awareness and how to better strategize to their strengths on the course. Growth is continuous and we will be tested and learn each time we play. We have a resilient team that is eager to learn from every experience."
 
Senior Pinyada Kuvanun paced the Rockets in the fall with a 72.5 stroke average with fellow classmates Pimchanok Kawil and Natcha Daengpiem close behind with 74.7 and 75.5 marks, respectively. Joining UT's senior trio in the lineup will be juniors Saranlak Tumfong (76.5) and Thunpijja Sukkasem (81.2).

THE FIELD

• The Rockets are ranked No. 85 in Golfstat's computer rankings and the only team ranked in Golfstat's Top 100.
• Also competing in the field is California Baptist, UC-Riverside, CSU-Bakersfield, CSU-Northridge, Creighton, Eastern Washington, Hawaii, Lamar, McNeese State, Montana State, North Dakota State, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Portland State, Seattle, South Dakota State, Southern Utah, Utah Valley and host Grand Canyon

LIVE SCORING                                    
• Live scoring for the Grand Canyon Invitational can be found at golfstatresults.com.

ROCKETS AT THE GRAND CANYON INVITATIONAL
• Toledo is playing at the Grand Canyon Invitational for the first time in program history.