United Athletic Conference

After just one tournament last week, it's a busy schedule for the WAC this week with eight of nine schools taking to the course. Grand Canyon and NM State will meet up in Tucson for the Wildcat Invitational, hosted by Arizona. CSU Bakersfield and Kansas City will also compete against each other, taking part in the Jackrabbit Invitational in Boulder City, Nev. UT Rio Grande Valley hosts the UTRGV Invitational in McAllen, Texas and Chicago State will be part of the field as the Cougars will open up the spring schedule. Utah Valley heads south to Saint George for the BYU at Entrada Classic and Seattle U visits the islands of Hawai'i for the Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational in Kane'ohe.

 

WAC-newcomer California Baptist sits atop the team leaders in stroke average at 296.6 through 18 rounds played. Grand Canyon is second at 298.6 followed by Utah Valley in third at 300.6. CBU's Ericka Wang is the top individual with a stroke average of 73.2. GCU's Siripatsorn Patchana is second at 73.8 while teammate Courtney Vogel is third at 73.8 as well. 

CBU's Yifei Wang is fourth at 74.1, followed by NM State's Pun Chanacahi in fifth at 74.2.

 

NM State's Pun Chanachai tied for 12th at the Bruin/Wave Invitational in February but the big story was the number of top golfers that she finished ahead of. She tied with second-ranked Andrea Lee of Stanford and 24th-ranked Stephanie Lau of Northwestern and finished ahead of top-ranked Patt Tavatanakit (UCLA), fourth-ranked Hira Naveed (Pepperdine) and fifth-ranked Albane Valenzuela (Stanford).

 

California Baptist took to the course for their first NCAA Division I tournament on Sept. 15 at the USA Intercollegiate in Mobile, Ala. and the Lancers made quite the entrance, earning the team title with a 4-under-par 860. Grand Canyon's Courtney Vogel earned the WAC's first individual title of the season, winning the Rose City Collegiate with a 2-under-par 211. Vogel also led the Lopes to a team title at the Battle at the Rock to open spring play while NM State's Pun Chanachai tied for medalist honors at the Mission Hills Individual Invitational.

 

California Baptist is the newest member of the Western Athletic Conference as the Lancers begin the four-year transition to NCAA Division I. While CBU will not be eligible to compete for the team title until the 2023 WAC Championship, the Lancers will be able to compete as individuals at the WAC Championship. In 2018, California Baptist placed second at the NCAA Division II Championship.

 

The 2018 WAC Women's Golf Championship heads to the Pacific Northwest and Oakbrook Golf Club in Lakewood, Wash. Built in 1966, Oakbrook Golf Club features hundreds of oak trees and immaculate turf conditions. In 2012, Oakbrook opened its doors to the public after 56 years of private operations. Ryan Moore, PGA Tour professional and Tacoma native, brings his knowledge of championship golf to Oakbrook Golf Club through Ryan Moore Golf ownership, to continually improve the golf course and elevate the overall guest experience.