VERMILLION, S.D. – The South Dakota women's golf team opens the spring portion of its 2019-20 season on Monday at the Gunrock Invitational in Sacramento, California. The women will play 36 holes on Monday and 18 holes on Tuesday.  
 
The Event
The Del Paso Country Club is a par 72, 5,950 yard course. The event is hosted by UC Davis. Tabbed as Sacramento's oldest and most storied course, the Del Paso Country Club has served as host for several golf championships such as the U.S. Women's Open and the U.S. Senior Open.
 
The Teams Competing
13 schools from across the country and Canada will be competing in the two-day event in California. South Dakota is the lone Summit League school. University of British Columbia, California, Cal Poly, New Mexico, Nevada, Northern Colorado, Sacramento State, Stanford (individuals only), UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, and Wisconsin are the other 12 schools competing.
 
Tournament History
The 2020 Gunrock Invitational is in its second year. Sacramento State is the defending champion after shooting a 5-under 859 at last year's event to out-pace runner-up California by 16 shots. The Hornets' Corinne Viden took home individual medalist honors last season, finishing with an 8-under 208 (69-69-70) to win the event by five strokes over the Golden Bears' Cindy Oh (-3, 213). The tournament record for low single team round is 281 by Sacramento State (1st round), while the low individual round is a 68 by UC Davis' Rei Nakatani (2nd Round).
 
The Quote
"The ladies have paid attention to the details here in the off-season," South Dakota head coach Brett Bennett said. "They have bought into the work ethic that was being preached and experienced last off-season in my first year and saw how much they felt prepared when we hit the course in the spring. With that, the group came in with the drive to work and a better understanding of what the off-season can be. They have met and exceeded my expectations, which will only benefit this golf team in the competitions ahead.
 
"With the core group of sophomores that we have, they are hungry to gain experience and start to build their program. Everyone on the squad has a year and a half or less of experience. That means mistakes are going to happen, but it is how we react and learn from those mistakes that will dictate the future of this program. The group has a team mentality, and in this sport of collegiate golf, it is that belief that many teams don't have, so we have a leg up on the majority of our competitors."
 
The Watch List
Redshirt-sophomore Julia Hall was named South Dakota's golfer to watch by the Summit League earlier this year in January. Hall shot an average of 77 during the fall season in 15 rounds of golf. She helped the team earn runner-up honors in the Loyola Fall Invite placing sixth after shooting a total score of 230.
 
Summit League Preseason Poll
The Yotes were picked to finish fifth in the Summit League earlier in January. Denver cumulated 64 points and eight first-place votes to secure the number one spot in the rankings. Oral Roberts (53), South Dakota State (49) and North Dakota State (48) rounded out the top-five. USD finished fourth at the conference championships last season.
 
Looking Ahead
The Coyote women will travel to Houston, Texas, on March 16-17 following the spring opener to compete in the HBU Husky Invite. The other remaining events include the Kingsmill Intercollegiate (March 30-31), Stampede at the Creek in Omaha (April 6-7) and the Kansas City Intercollegiate (April 13-14). The Summit League Championships are set for April 26-28 in Newton, Kansas, at the Sand Creek Station Golf Club.