ORLANDO (UCFKnights.com) – The UCF women's golf team enters the American Athletic Conference Championship as one of the favorites.
The Knights, currently ranked No. 28 in the nation, are the highest-rated team in the conference. SMU is No. 39 in the latest Golfstat rankings, while Houston checks in at No. 44. Those three squads, and six others, will be playing for a conference title Sunday-Tuesday at the Hammock Beach Resort Conservatory Course in Palm Coast.
"The season has gone really well for us," Knights head coach Emily Marron said. "We have a really tough schedule. So, week in and week out, we're playing against the best teams in the country. They did a great job in the fall and we've been playing well in the spring. We're just going to keep doing what we're doing and see how it goes this week."
The Knights had a disappointing fifth-place finish in the conference championship last year. But they have experienced success at the event in recent years as well. UCF won the 2015 title and was the runner-up in the inaugural American Athletic Conference Championship in 2014.
"This is the biggest tournament of the season," senior Ayaka Nakayama said. "Everyone wants to win the conference, of course. We won the conference two years ago … we really want to win this tournament."
Senior Ashley Holder is currently ranked as the No. 31 player in the nation. She's the highest rated player in The American. Holder wants to see her team bring home the title. But she's also gunning for the individual crown.
"I'm very excited. It's my last one," Holder said. "Obviously, I want to win. I haven't won conference yet as an individual. I would love to win. As a team, I would love to win as well for a good ending for UCF."
In addition to The American crown, six points are on the line in the War On I-4 rivalry series with USF. Depending on results of other action this week, the Knights could clinch the overall series title if they finish higher than the Bulls on Tuesday.
"We've definitely been following along," Marron said of the rivalry series scoring. "I know the spring sports definitely have to pull their weight here. We'll see South Florida this week. I think we have the opportunity, maybe, to clinch the War On I-4. That would mean a lot to us."
The War On I-4 will see plenty of action in the next few days. The two schools are in the midst of a Thursday-Saturday three-game series in softball. UCF currently leads the overall series and would clinch the overall championship with a win vs. the Bulls in women's tennis on Saturday night. If the Bulls score on the tennis court, the next opportunity for the Knights to clinch would be during the American Athletic Conference Women's Golf Championship.
