STANFORD, Calif. – The Stanford women's golf team will leave the Golden State at least five times in 2017-18 thanks to another challenging and exciting schedule.
The Cardinal will compete in five fall events, starting with the Dick McGuire/Branch Law Firm Invitational, Sept. 11-12 at University of New Mexico Championship Course in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Stanford is no stranger to the layout, winning the NCAA West Regional there last May.
On Oct. 1-3, the Cardinal travels to Minnesota for the ANNIKA Intercollegiate Presented by 3M at Olympic Hills Golf Club just outside Minneapolis. Co-founded by the ANNIKA Foundation and Golfweek, the tournament is named after former collegiate and LPGA great Annika Sorenstam and will feature 12 teams.
Next up is the Stanford Intercollegiate, Oct. 16-18 at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach, California. Fourteen teams will participate on the Robert Trent Jones Jr. layout, one of the host courses for the PGA Tour's AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am from 1991-2009, and site of the 1991 NCAA Men's Championships. A $10 million course renovation was completed in 2014.
The following week, the team will fly to the Big Island of Hawaii for the Pac-12 Preview, Oct. 23-24 at Nanea Golf Club in Kailua, Hawaii.
For the third consecutive year, the Cardinal will conclude its fall campaign Oct. 30-Nov. 1 at the prestigious East Lake Cup at historic East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia. The field is limited to men's and women's team semifinalists from the 2017 NCAA Championships and will be televised on the Golf Channel. Joining Stanford are Arizona State, Northwestern and USC.
"We are excited for the opportunity to return to the East Lake Cup and test ourselves against some of the best teams in the country," said associate head coach Lauren Dobashi. "It's a nice reward for what we accomplished last season and provides great exposure for women's golf."
In 2016-17, Stanford won five tournaments and tied for third in the NCAA Championships at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Illinois.
After the Christmas break, the Cardinal starts the spring season Feb. 11-12 at the Northrop Grumman Challenge at Palos Verdes Country Club in Palos Verdes, California. Two weeks later, the squad will defend its title at the Bruin Wave Invitational, Feb. 26-27 at San Luis Obispo Country Club in San Luis Obispo, California.
On March 26-26, Stanford will participate in the SDSU March Mayhem at The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California. Next up is the Silverado Showdown, April 8-10 at Silverado Resort & Spa in Napa, California. Last year, the Cardinal successfully defended its crown by posting a program record 54-hole score of 16-under 848 to win by nine strokes.
The Cardinal concludes the regular season at the Pac-12 Championships, April 22-24 at Broadmoor Country Club in Seattle, Washington.
Stanford has been selected to host the NCAA West Regional, May 7-9. Qualifiers advance to the NCAA Championships, May 18-23 at Karsten Creek Golf Course in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
"Hosting regionals is a great opportunity for our players to be able to play in front of their friends and family," Dobashi said. "During a stressful time, it is nice that we can limit our travel and be surrounded by the support of our Cardinal family."
Stanford will be led by rising sophomores Andrea Lee and Albane Valenzuela, who earned All-American honors last year. Lee was named the WGCA National Freshman of the Year.
Also returning are seniors Shannon Aubert, who captured medalist honors this month at the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship, Jisoo Keel and Calli Ringsby, junior Sierra Kersten, and sophomores Madie Chou and Ziyi Wang. They will be joined by incoming freshmen Mika Liu and Kelsey Zeng.