Lady Mocs swing into top-15
Jeremy Acree
Issue date: 9/24/09 Section: Sports
Southeastern Conference teams control the top five in the polls. Teams like Florida State, Oklahoma State and Ohio State patrol the top-10. Then there are the lesser-known teams sneaking up around the top-15 or 25 that no one expects will last in the polls.
This isn't the latest version of college football's BCS rankings, however. And one of those lesser-known teams fighting for respect is UTC.
In just the third year of the program, Coach Colette Murray has guided the Chattanooga golf team to a No. 12 ranking in the initial Golfweek/Sagarin national rankings for the 2009 season.
After falling just short to Florida and South Carolina - which occupy the first and second positions respectively in the rankings - in match play at the Hooter's Collegiate Match Play, Chattanooga traveled to Primm, Nev., and claimed third, just behind No. 7 Pepperdine and No. 9 California.
The Lady Mocs are not taking the traditional "BCS-buster" route to the NCAA finals. According to the Golfweek/Sagarin ratings, Chattanooga has played the 13th toughest schedule so far.
"If we had gone back to Jacksonville State (where the Lady Mocs won last year) it would have been a win and it would have looked good, but it wouldn't have done anything for us," Murray said. "If you're not in top tournaments and competing with top teams you don't know how good you are."
Also unlike their football counterparts, the Lady Mocs have earned the respect of their peers.
"I've had some e-mails and some texts from coaches which have been really nice," Murray said. "It does mean we're making a little noise."
But being just two tournaments into a season that could extend into next summer, there is still work to do.
"It's great for the program," Murray said. "This is just our third year. But I'm not making a big song and dance about that. It's September; if we are there in May, ask me again."
Even the early season success has not fully lived up to expectations in Murray's eyes. Chattanooga led the Golfweek Conference Challenge in Nevada after two rounds, then it slipped away. Sophomore Maria Salinas, from Lima, Peru, played injured and hasn't practiced in more than a week. There have been careless mistakes.
This isn't the latest version of college football's BCS rankings, however. And one of those lesser-known teams fighting for respect is UTC.
In just the third year of the program, Coach Colette Murray has guided the Chattanooga golf team to a No. 12 ranking in the initial Golfweek/Sagarin national rankings for the 2009 season.
After falling just short to Florida and South Carolina - which occupy the first and second positions respectively in the rankings - in match play at the Hooter's Collegiate Match Play, Chattanooga traveled to Primm, Nev., and claimed third, just behind No. 7 Pepperdine and No. 9 California.
The Lady Mocs are not taking the traditional "BCS-buster" route to the NCAA finals. According to the Golfweek/Sagarin ratings, Chattanooga has played the 13th toughest schedule so far.
"If we had gone back to Jacksonville State (where the Lady Mocs won last year) it would have been a win and it would have looked good, but it wouldn't have done anything for us," Murray said. "If you're not in top tournaments and competing with top teams you don't know how good you are."
Also unlike their football counterparts, the Lady Mocs have earned the respect of their peers.
"I've had some e-mails and some texts from coaches which have been really nice," Murray said. "It does mean we're making a little noise."
But being just two tournaments into a season that could extend into next summer, there is still work to do.
"It's great for the program," Murray said. "This is just our third year. But I'm not making a big song and dance about that. It's September; if we are there in May, ask me again."
Even the early season success has not fully lived up to expectations in Murray's eyes. Chattanooga led the Golfweek Conference Challenge in Nevada after two rounds, then it slipped away. Sophomore Maria Salinas, from Lima, Peru, played injured and hasn't practiced in more than a week. There have been careless mistakes.
