Women golfers at Y. aiming for NCAA finals

PROVO — Fielding what its coach calls the best team the school has ever seen, Brigham Young University's women's golf squad heads south this weekend, hoping to make a bit of history.

The Cougars, who boast a No. 14 national ranking, head to St. George to host the NCAA Western Regional tournament at Entrada at Snow Canyon. BYU enters the competition with hopes of qualifying for the NCAA Championship later this month, a feat the Cougars have accomplished just once in the last 22 years.

"This is the very best team BYU women's golf has ever produced," said Cougar coach Sue Nyhus. "Experience aside, we have one of the strongest teams in the nation. We're prepared at this point to play well. If we can pull the trigger and play the way we know how, we'll be in good shape."

The Cougars last qualified for the national tournament in 2005 after finishing in sixth at the regional tournament. This year, lead by MWC co-Player of the Year Rachel Newren and Coach of the Year Nyhus, BYU looks to make a return to the national championship competition.

Top-ranked Arizona State headlines the 21-team regional field, along with No. 4 Pepperdine, No. 8 Florida and No. 10 Oklahoma State. The Western Regional is one of three regional tournaments across the country, with eight teams and two individuals from each region qualifying for nationals. The Cougars locked up the No. 5 seed in the regional and will act as host in the event.

This weekend's tournament marks the third consecutive for BYU at Entrada, after the Cougars hosted the BYU Dixie Classic and the MWC Tournament. Nyhus said familiarity with the course will play in the Cougars' favor.

"I think it could be as much as a four-shot advantage, depending on the wind and what happens with the weather conditions," she said. "That golf course changes dramatically when the wind blows. We've played it when it's calm and when it's blowing. That's the kind of experience that I really think will carry us."

The Cougars tee off at 8:58 a.m. Thursday, matching up with Oklahoma State and Stanford in the first round.

TRACK AND FIELD: The Cougar men and women's track teams head to San Diego this weekend to begin defense of their respective conference titles, with the MWC Championships being held at San Diego State.

The competition began Wednesday with the heptathlon and decathlon, and will end with Saturday afternoon's finals of the majority of the track events.