Perhaps the number one goal the ISU women’s golf team has this spring is earning another spot in the NCAA Regional Tournament in May. The Cyclones have played its way into the tournament for the past six consecutive years, and even earned a berth in the NCAA Championship tournament in 2014.

The Cyclones come into the spring season with high hopes after being on break from competition since the end of October. Even through the long break, the team has been staying active by practicing indoors.

Last weekend, they even took a training trip to Florida to play outdoors.

“It wasn’t a competition, but it was a good way for us get on a course and experience play in an outdoor surface,” said sophomore Celia Barquin. “I believe the more you play the better you will play.”

The team ended the fall season on a hot streak, finishing in the top five in two of four competitions as a team. The Cyclones will get their first look at competitive golf since the end of October when they play in Orlando, Florida on February 7-9 at the Central Florida Challenge.

No. 17 Iowa State will enter the challenge as the highest ranked team at the tournament, in front of No. 23 Missouri. The Cyclones will be looking to improve upon last season’s challenge, where they shot a team total of 870 and tied for fifth.

The team is led by sophomore Celia Barquin and freshman Parinda Phokan, both ranked in the top 100 at No. 44 and No. 78 respectively according to golfweek.com. Barquin enters the season with a stroke average of 72.4 and three top ten finishes in the first half of the season. Phokan starts with a 72.8 stroke average and one top ten finish.   

Other players helping the team include senior Cajsa Persson (74.3 average), sophomore M.J. Kamin (79.5 average), sophomore Nattapan Siritrai (76.3 average), and freshman Chayanit Wangmahaporn (73.3 average).

Return to iowastatedaily.com during the tournament Feb. 7-9 for daily results and standings.