TOLEDO, Ohio - The Toledo women's golf team will head south to open its spring season with the Mid-American Match Play Challenge in Bradenton, Fla. on Monday-Tuesday, Feb. 7-8. Twelve schools are competing in the two-day tournament at the par-72, 6,068-yard Royal Lakes Golf Club.

The Rockets open the tournament Monday morning against Western Michigan and if they defeat the Broncos, will take on Northern Illinois in the afternoon. Based on the outcome of the day one matches, Toledo could play two matches on Tuesday.

Head Coach Jenny Coluccio said her team is ready to build off a strong finish to its fall season.

"Our first two tournaments in the fall were really good learning opportunities for us," said Coluccio. "We were able to take those lessons and transfer them into our final two events of the fall season. Everyone's eager to pick up where we left off.  It is so much fun to see them play and level up as we've had a lot of growth and development from the fall until now."

The return of the traditional college golf schedule has assisted the Rockets in continuing that development. Helping the Rockets make that improvement since last fall was a return to a normal schedule after having the last two seasons impacted by Covid-19.

"Our players have enjoyed getting back to a full golf season," Coluccio said. "The Covid-19 pandemic impacted college golf significantly, as it has for all college athletics. Only two of our nine players have experienced the traditional fall and spring golf schedule of playing and practicing."

Coluccio said her team is deeper this season and that it will be a big benefit for everyone in the program.

"We have healthy competition within the team with our deeper roster than in years past," Coluccio said. "Everyone knows they have a role to fulfill whether they are playing in tournaments or practicing at home for their opportunity to tee it up."

Junior Amelia Lee is leading the Rockets into the spring with a 77.3 stroke average. She capped off her fall by registering a career-best third-place finish and a career-low, one-under 215. Sophomore Angel Hii was right behind Lee with a 77.7 stroke average. Joining Lee and Hii at the Mid-American Match Play are sophomore Cheryl Hong, freshman Cameron Ford, and freshman Yedam Lee.

THE FIELD
Toledo will be joined in the Mid-American Match Play Challenge by Mid-American Conference members Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Ohio and Western Michigan as well as Illinois State, Morehead State, and Western Illinois

LIVE SCORING
Live scoring for the Mid-American Match Play Challenge can be found at golfstat.com

ON THE HORIZON
The Rockets will return to action later this month with a trip to Covington, La. for South Alabama's Tchefuncta Invitational on February 21-22.