Lady Linksters look to Spring

Practicing for a spring sport during the winter can be difficult.

Trying to play golf during the winter can be next to impossible, but that is exactly what the Penn State women's golf team has had to do. The Lady Lions have spent the winter months in Holuba Hall, tweaking and fine-tuning their swings, hoping to improve on a successful first semester.

"We felt pretty good about the fall," Lady Lion coach Denise St. Pierre said at last week's media day in the Bryce Jordan Center. "We're sitting in a pretty good position at this point. We're right in there."

Penn State finished last season with strong showings in its final two tournaments. The Lady Lions won the James Madison Invitational and placed third at the ECAC championships in October.

Individually, they are looking to junior Emily Marron to have a big spring. She ended the fall on a high note, placing first at the ECAC championships.

"I felt happy with my fall, but I want to do better in the spring," Marron said. "I feel that I am now ready to really compete with the top players."

Penn State will not have to put all of its chips on Marron. The Lady Lions are loaded this season, and their roster's depth will be one of their biggest assets.

"We have nine or 10 players that I can work in and out of our lineup," St. Pierre said. "That really helps the players as we start traveling."

The traveling has already started -- Penn State is in Arizona this weekend to compete in the Mid-West Classic. It is the Lady Lions' first tournament of the spring season.

"We're anxious to get started," St. Pierre said. "The spring is going to be real important for us."

The Lady Lions are looking for a good showing, hoping to gain enough momentum to carry them through the season and to the regional playoffs, where Penn State hopes to earn an NCAA championship berth.

"Our goal is to go in strong," Lady Lion April Hardisty said. "We have a chance, definitely."