Friday, August 27, 2021

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. – Never mind that Simon Fraser has not competed in over a year. Division II coaches still think the Canadian team is among the nation’s best.

Simon Fraser is among teams receiving votes in the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) Division II Preseason Rankings, which were released on Friday. The team is among four from the West Region to either earn a ranking or receive votes and is the only GNAC program included in the poll.

Simon Fraser was unable to compete in the spring 2021 season due to the closure of the U.S./Canada border necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The team led the GNAC in the abbreviated 2019-20 season with a 302 stroke average. The team placed no worse than third in five of the six tournaments it competed in, which included wins at its own True North Classic and the Concordia Fall Invitational.

Simon Fraser won the 2019 GNAC Championships with a score of 613, finishing three strokes ahead of Concordia.

The team returns two players that have experience playing in the conference. Senior Estee Leung was the 2018 GNAC Freshman of the Year and also earned First Team All-GNAC honors in 2020 after she led tied for first in the conference with a stroke average of 73.9. Sophomore Claire Lovan finished fifth in the GNAC in 2019-20 with a 76.4 stroke average over 10 rounds, earning First Team All-GNAC honors.

Cal State San Marcos leads all West Region teams as it enters the season ranked No. 21. Other West Region teams receiving votes include Academy of Art (19) and Sonoma State (1).

All five GNAC women’s golf teams will begin the season on Monday, September 13, taking part in the Saint Martin’s Invitational at The Home Course in Du Pont, Washington.