SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist women's golf will begin their fall season Tuesday. This is the first time for the team to compete since the approval for full NCAA Division II membership.
The Lady Bison had several individual top-ten finishes throughout the 2016-17 fall and spring seasons. OBU will travel to Olathe, Kansas, for the season opener and are scheduled for four tournaments to follow.
Head Coach
Mike Manlapig is eager to see his team compete not only in tournaments but also for the top five spots. With eight returning players, the team is no stranger to competition.
"I expect to see some wonderful things this fall, we have a really good bunch of returners and we've added one player that redshirted last year. I'm also waiting to see how our incoming freshman will be able to contribute," said Manlapig.
Shelby Phillips, a freshman from Fort Gibson High School, is the newest addition to the team. "Shelby has a lot of potential," said Manlapig.
With a tenth place finish at the NCCAA Championship and a top-five finish at the GAC Preview in her first year,
Elly Baze is projected to see lower scores this semester. "Elly had a good year last year, she battled to be the number one spot," added Manlapig.
Michelle Carr placed eleventh in the NCCAA Championship last year as a freshman. Manlapig has high goals for her sophomore season. "Michelle has a lot of raw skill, I'm expecting her to be even more consistent than she was last year."
Other returning sophomores,
Olivia Klefsaas and
Grace Johnson, will be two contenders battling for the top-five spots. "Grace is a wonderful part of our team and Olivia is a player that continues to work hard and improve," said Manlapig.
"
Shannen Stewart has been a steady player for us; she's been in the top five her whole career at OBU," noted Manlapig about the junior.
"For
Sydney Bowman, last year was tough because she was redshirted, she wasn't used to not playing competitively. This year I expect a lot from her," said Manlapig.
As for the team's seniors Manlapig shared, "
Kadrian Shelton has had to fight more than a lot of other players but she's a hard worker.
Paige Neidy has gotten better each year, and
Sidney Stover has contributed a lot to the team over three years, she's a big part of our team chemistry."
 "We have many players that are fighting to be in the top five so we will see what happens," stated Manlapig.
The Lady Bison tee up their season September 5-6 at Prairie Highlands Golf Course for the Central Region Fall Preview.
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