Taylor women’s golf is continuing to grow together as the season progresses.
With a young roster, including five new players, the Trojans have spent the beginning of the season learning how to play together while also building a strong community with each other.
“It’s a very young team,” junior Eleanor Schuitema said. “I feel like there’s been a lot of learning and growth, but it’s been really good.”
For freshman Presley White, having older players on the team has helped ease her transition to collegiate golf. White has already made an impact in her first season, finishing sixth at the Indiana Wesleyan Wildcat Invitational with a three-round score of 225.
“As a freshman that’s newer on the team, the upperclassmen have been super helpful, like just getting to know where everything’s at and all that,” White said. “Since the team was so young, we’ve built such a good community and connection with everyone.”
As the freshmen adjust to college level golf, Schuitema said they had to step into important roles early in the season.
“A lot of them have just kind of been thrown into the fire, and yet they’ve been willing to adapt,” she said. “They’ve been playing really well too.”
White said the beginning of the season has also been a learning experience for the freshmen. The team’s first tournament was their first time playing 36 holes in a competition. White has finished top-10 in several tournaments so far this year, including the Indiana Wesleyan Fall Invite on Sept. 7-8 and the Pikeville Collegiate on Sept. 14-15.
While there have been plenty of positives, the team has also faced challenges. Schuitema said the Trojans have had several strong rounds but struggle to stay consistent throughout the whole match.
White said another challenge has been adjusting to a new environment. The younger players have had to adjust to new routines, schedules and coaches while also learning how to compete at the college level.
Despite those challenges, the Trojans have been able to see some success. The team finished sixth in its first tournament, then second in their next.
Individually, Schuitema has also had a strong start, scoring a 68 and finishing first in the Pikeville Collegiate tournament. Freshman Sophia Stanton was also named to an all-tournament team after placing sixth in both the IWU Fall Invite and the Pikeville Collegiate.
“Our main goal is to glorify God on and off the course,” White said. “We always make sure that we’re praying before we tee off or praying before every meal, just to remember why we’re out there and what we’re doing.”
The team also has competitive goals. Schuitema said the Trojans want to improve their ranking, compete against the best teams in their conference and make it to nationals. For Schuitema, the team can be described as “fresh,” while White used the word “growing.”
Both descriptions show where the team currently stands: a young group that is still developing, but one that is excited about what is to come.
The Trojans will look to continue their growth at the Crossroads League Preview on Oct. 12-13 at Harrison Lake Country Club in Columbus, Ind.
