Vikings ready for Big Sky Championships

Starting on April 18, Portland State will return to competition at the Big Sky Conference Championship at the Ocotillo Golf Resort in Chandler, Ariz. The Vikings will attempt to win their sixth conference title in nine years. If they keep up the success they’ve had so far this season, the team will likely earn a trip to the NCAA Regionals.

The Portland State women’s golf team has been dominating the past few weeks, especially four players on the team. Sophomore Britney Yada, freshman Lauren Taylor, junior Tiffany Schoning and senior Kaylyn Dodge all have been named to the First Team All-Big Sky Conference. Taylor has been named Big-Sky Freshman of the Year.

Sophomore Britney Yada from Hilo, Hawaii has earned All-Conference for the second year in a row. She is also the highest-rated Viking with a 75.67 scoring average, as well as the second-highest rated player in the conference. In addition to this, Yada won the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic earlier this week with a school record tying three-under par 213. At this rate, she could easily break her own school scoring record she set last year, at 76.37. The sophomore also holds a career scoring record of 76.03. Yada is not only at a steady pace, but she’s placed in the top 10 in her last seven tournaments in a row.

Freshman Lauren Taylor, from Nelson, B.C., became the first freshman ever to earn a win on the tournament on March 29 at the Cal State Fullerton Folino Invitational. She didn’t stop there, the following week she won the UC Irvine Anteater Invitational. Her scoring average is 75.80, which is the best score achieved by a Viking freshman. Taylor also tied a school-scoring record for a 36-hole tournament with an even par 144 at the Folino Invitational, helping to make her a two-time Big-Sky Golfer of the week. On top of that, Taylor holds her merit as the Big-Sky Freshman of the Year—and first Viking ever to win this honor.

Junior Tiffany Schoning, from Bend, was the team-scoring leader throughout the fall last season. She also won two tournaments—the Oregon State/Washington triangle and the Turtle Bay Collegiate Invitational. Schoning’s scoring average is 76.14, which puts her at five top-10s this year. She too has been named Big Sky Golfer of the Week twice this season.

As for Senior Kaylyn Dodge, from Irvine, Calif., she found success earlier this week at the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic. She had a second-round three-under par 69 and a 54-hole even-par total of 216 to tie for third. Dodge cut her scoring from last year by almost two strokes. Currently, she holds a 77.00 per-round average.

The Vikings’ other starter, senior Alexia Brown, unfortunately didn’t earn an All-Conference, but she has a 77.44 scoring average. Brown was just two positions shy of second team honors. She has also cut her scoring average by 1.6 strokes per round this year.

As for team accomplishments, Portland State has won two tournaments this spring—the Anteater Invitational (6-stroke win) and the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic (28-stroke win).

In eight straight full-field tournaments, the Vikings have won fourth place or better. Every Viking player to compete this year has established a new 18-hole and 54-hole personal scoring record while at PSU. PSU has shot four of the top five 54-hole tournament scores in school history this year—all 900 or better.

The Vikings have three of the top-five overall team scores for a single round as well. Seven of the top 19 individual rounds in school history have been shot this year and 13 of the top 30 tournament scores have been shot—including four of the top six. PSU has also set new school records for 18-hole scoring with a 287, 36-hole scoring with a 577 and 54-hole scoring with a 871. This puts Portland State on a school-record scoring pace of 303.1. So far, Portland State is on the right track towards the NCAA Regionals. ?