Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirl Golfers to compete in NCAA Fall Preview
September 12, 2003 | Cowgirl Golf
All 18 teams that will compete in the tournament are ranked in Golfweek Magazine's top-30 preseason poll, including every team ranked in the top 10 and 14 of the top-15 teams in the country.
The field includes top-ranked Duke, No. 2 UCLA, third-ranked Ohio State, No. 5 Texas, sixth-ranked Vanderbilt, No. 7 Tennessee, eighth-ranked Arizona, No. 9 Florida, and 10th-ranked Georgia.
Also competing in the tournament are No. 11 New Mexico, 13th-ranked Auburn, No. 14 USC, 15th-ranked Pepperdine, No. 17 Tulane, 19th-ranked North Carolina, No. 24 Wake Forest, and 28th-ranked Oklahoma.
The Cowgirls return three starters from last year's squad that ended the season ranked third nationally and finished fifth at the NCAA Championships. Junior Annie Thurman and sophomore Karin Sjödin, both honorable mention All-Americans last year and preseason first-team All-Americans this season, as well as junior Jenny Karr are back as starters.
A pair of freshmen have qualified and will make the trip for the first tournament.
Ashley Knoll, from The Woodlands, Texas, and Ali Griffin, from Edmond, Okla., will travel this weekend. Knoll won three ranked junior events during the 2002-03 season and is a two-time Texas Class 5A individual champion. Griffin finished fourth at the state tournament for Class 6A in Oklahoma last year.
The tournament will take place on the Grand National Lake Course which at 6,215 yards plays to a par 72. It will also be the host site of the 2004 NCAA Championships next May. The Cowgirls tee off on Friday at 8:45 a.m., and the results will be available live on the web at golfstat.com or auburntigers.com.
