SPRINGFIELD, IL – After qualifying for back-to-back NCAA Division II Super Regionals, the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) women's golf team has its sights set on the NCAA Division II Championships.
 
"Our goal is to make the NCAA National Championships," UIS head golf coach Frank Marsaglia said. "We expect to be in the NCAA post season and are currently ranked No. 5 in the region. We need to finish in the top three in the regional tournament to make nationals."
 
SETTING THE SCENE
UIS debuts the spring season with the two-day St. Edward's Invitational, which begins on Monday at Onion Creek Club in Austin, TX.
 
"We are hoping for a top-5 finish but since it's our first time outside, we will be a little rusty," said Marsaglia who enters his sixth season as head coach of the Prairie Stars.
 
STARS OF NOTE
The school record for a season average is held by 2017 UIS graduate Jocelyn Matsen with an average score of 78.76. Three Prairie Stars are currently on pace to break that mark. During the fall, freshman Jennifer Queller compiled an average of 76.88, Brooke Hill recorded an average of 77.38 and Maria Espinosa turned in an average of 78.13.
 
"We are consistent throughout the lineup."
 
Freshman Ocean Pangan posted an average of 80.13 during the fall.
 
Also expecting to make contributions to the Prairie Stars are Brooke Hill, Jordan Neyens, Taryn Pittman, Chelsey Whitkowiak, Sasha Glickfield, Charlotte Ng and Casey Willenborg.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
UIS battles in two NCAA Division I tournaments, which include the Bradley Spring Invitational on March 30-31 and the Harvard Invitational on April 6-7. The Prairie Stars also host the UIS Spring Invite on April 21-22 at Panther Creek Country Club in Springfield, IL.
 
"There are two NCAA Division I Tournaments that I expect us to be competitive in and I expect us to win our home tournament."
 
Each tournament will build in to postseason play which includes the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Championships on April 27-29 and the NCAA Division II Super Regionals on May 7-9. Last season, UIS took third in the GLVC Championships and tied for fifth in the NCAA Super Regionals. In the GLVC Championships, UIS only trailed the conference-winning University of Indianapolis as well as the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL).
 
"We are gearing for the conference meet and the NCAA Super Regionals."
 
The Prairie Stars aim to be a top contender by consistently producing strong scores from the No. 4 position.
 
"We need to work hard this spring and put the time in. If Taryn Pittman plays like she can, and all the others shave one stroke off their average, we can make nationals."