The Ohio State women’s golf team will head to Nashville, Tenn., to compete for the national title for the second consecutive season following a sixth-place finish last week at the NCAA Central Regional held on the Scarlet Course in Columbus.
The Buckeyes will not only be competing against 20 teams in the top 25 of the rankings, but Mother Nature as well. The competition is expected to heat up, as temperatures are predicted to reach 94 degrees across the four-day tournament.
All-Big Ten first team junior Rachel Rohanna, who concluded competition last week in seventh-place with a 4-over 220, said the team has been preparing for the heat physically and mentally through cardio, practice and patience.
“I would say our No. 1 goal is to, just like regionals, have patience, especially in the heat. We’re hoping that leads to a first-place finish. We definitely have a good chance this year, so we’re not expecting anything much short of that,” Rohanna said.
Kendall Prince, who was named the 2012 Big Ten Freshman of the Year May 1, said the team set high goals at the beginning of the season and is working toward meeting them.
“Our original goal at the beginning of the season was to get ourselves a national title,” Prince said. “I think we have done very well. I know that we can always do better, and I think each of us feel that way. I think if we can get a day where each of us plays to our very best, then it will click and come together.”
Prince also said heading into the championships with a clear focus helps to work toward those goals.
“I just take it as if it’s any other tournament, just relax and calm yourself before you play. I listen to music, just focus on what you can control and see how it plays out,” Prince said.
The team will be missing a week of school while at the competition, which Hession said might put the team in a different mindset as opposed to teams out of school under the semester system.
However, Hession said competing at the highest level requires preparation and concentration on the task at hand, and not the surrounding distractions.
“We can’t control everything that they’re doing, we can only control the shots that are in front of us, so (I) just try to get each player to put the blinders on and focus on their own game and just try to enjoy the experience of being there, because that’s what’s going to help them do their best,” Hession said.
The Buckeyes will head to the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championships at the Vanderbilt Legends Club in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday through Friday.