FARMINGTON, Utah – The Eastern Washington golf team was selected to finish fifth in the Big Sky Conference Preseason Poll as announced by the conference today (Jan. 26). The preseason poll was voted on by the league's head coaches who are not allowed to vote for their own team.
The Eagles were selected to finish fifth out of 11 teams with 67 points and one first-place vote. Just one vote separated EWU from Portland State who was selected fourth with 68 points and one first place vote. Eastern Washington finished ahead of Northern Colorado who was voted sixth with 57 points.
Sacramento State, who has won two out of the last three championships, was chosen as the preseason favorite, collecting nine of the available 11 first place votes with 92 points.
The Big Sky Championship was wiped out last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Eagles earned their highest finish in program history in 2019 when they finished in a tie for fourth with Portland State.
Before the season was cut short, the Eagles notched a top-ten finish in every tournament they competed in.
The Eagles lost
Madalyn Ardueser, who holds Eastern Washington's all-time career and single-season scoring average records, to graduation, but return senior
Alexa Clark who earned All-Big Sky Honorable mention last season and a place on the second team as a sophomore.
Also back is junior
Jaelin Ishikawa, as well as sophomores
Morgan Baum and
Stephanie Heimler. EWU also welcomes two newcomers to the Eagle family in
Stephanie Chelack from Alberta, Canada and
Carisa Padilla from Santa Fe, N.M.
Eastern Washington officially opens the season on March 1 at the Grand Canyon Invitational. The Big Sky Conference Golf Championship takes place on April 19-21 at the Arrowhead Golf Club in Molalla, Ore.
2021 Women's Golf Preseason Poll Results
1. Sacramento State –92 (9)
2. Idaho - 81
3. Northern Arizona - 77
4. Portland State – 68 (1)
5. Eastern Washington – 67 (1)
6. Northern Colorado – 57
7. Southern Utah – 53
8. Montana State – 34
9. Weber State – 33
10. Montana – 26
11. Idaho State - 17
