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The 2024 girls golf season is underway. Here are previews of teams from around the Record Newspapers coverage area.
Oswego Co-op
Coach: Brian Chandler
Top returning players: Kendall Grant, jr.; Abby Mundsinger, sr.; Annabelle Williams, jr.
Top new players: Alli Wiertel, fr.
Worth noting: Oswego Co-op last season had a 9-0 dual meet record, won the Southwest Prairie Conference tournament, took third place at regionals to advance its team to sectionals and had two state qualifiers in Katelin Hong and Shyell Lowe. Hong and Lowe, four-year program standouts, are two of eight seniors who graduated from last year’s team. Grant, also a standout basketball player, shot a personal-best 76 at the season-opening Plainfield North Invite to lead the team and finish ninth out of 99 golfers.
“We will look to find the right combo of returning and new golfers to help our team maintain the same competitive expectations the previous teams have created,” Chandler said. “We think we have a great opportunity to continue our success in 2024.”
Plano
Coach: Wilson Wright
Top returning players: Josie Larson, sr.; Liz Salgado, sr.
Worth noting: Plano posted a 3-16 dual meet record last season and has three returning players and two new players. Of the returners, Larson and Salgado were both Kishwaukee River Conference honorable mention all-conference.
“We grew last year as a team and are looking to continue to improve our scores for the upcoming season,” Wright said.
Sandwich
Coach: Ashley Isham
Top returning players: Brynn Butler, so.; Ruby Ferguson, jr.; Fiona Legge, jr.
Top new players: Gracelyn Mikkelson, fr.; Olivia Holterhaus, fr.; Callie Kesselring, fr.; Vivian Pastion, fr.; Autumn Koesler, fr.; Audrey Kuntz, fr.
Worth noting: First-year head coach Isham welcomes back three players from last year’s team – Ferguson, Legge and Butler. Butler was an all-conference selection in 2023, Ferguson honorable mention all-conference. Added to the mix are six freshmen. Of that group, Mikkelson and Kesselring competed with the middle school program at Sandwich last year.
“Unlike last year, when the Indians couldn’t compete with a full roster, we are excited to have a complete varsity team this season,” Isham said. “The girls maintain positive attitudes, demonstrate a strong willingness to learn and are committed to putting in the effort. We anticipate significant growth as the season progresses and are excited for what lies ahead.”
Yorkville
Coach: Nicholas Cress
Top returning players: Cassidy Madden, sr.; Elaina Newman, jr.; Ellery Hyett, sr.; Peyton Levine, sr.
Top new players: Janae Larson, so.
Worth noting: The Foxes have four returning seniors and 10 juniors as they look to improve on last year’s 4-7 dual meet record, 3-6 in conference play. Leading the way is all-conference golfer Madden, as well as Newman, Hyett and Levine. Cress expects Larson to be in the mix along with juniors Izzy Strausberger and Destiny Barton and senior McKinleigh Killham. Yorkville has a total of 17 girls, so the program is well set up for the future.
“We are much more experienced and well-rounded for the upcoming season,” Cress said. “We look to be competitive in every single match we face this year regardless of the win-loss results.