07 Aug 2024 UALR golf set to defend OVC crown; announces schedule

With a combination of familiar tournaments and some new challenges added this year, head coach Jenna Birch and the Trojans are prepared to venture away from what’s familiar and test their mettle against the unknown.

“This season’s schedule will definitely test us … we have some regular events where we will see schools we’re familiar with, but then there are a couple of events that are completely new,” Birch said. “We’re heading to tournaments across the country to make sure we are testing our game against multiple schools. We have three new players this year so testing them in a wide variety of conditions will hopefully enable us to get the team playing their best when the conference championship arrives.”

The fall season starts with the Redbird Invitational on Sept. 8-9, hosted by Illinois State University in Normal, Ill. The Trojans compete in Texas and Colorado the following two weeks before heading to Jonesboro for the Lady Red Wolves Classic on Oct. 14-15. The fall schedule concludes with Little Rock’s annual home event – the Diamante Intercollegiate, presented by Simmons Bank – at Hot Springs Village.

The spring season opens in Florida, then heads to Mississippi before the Trojans fly to Puerto Rico and Las Vegas in a 10-day span in early March. The OVC Championship will take place April 13-15 in Muscle Shoals, Ala., with the NCAA Regionals and National Championship to follow in May.

“The toughest trip, I believe, will be Golfweek in Colorado … it’s a strong field and a tough setup. In previous years we haven’t played our best there, but I think it prepares the girls for the rest of the season, and hopefully this year we can beat the golf course when we head there in September,” Birch said. “Once again, we’ll compete in Puerto Rico and Las Vegas for back-to-back tournaments. Last year we had some promising results at those, and I believe it helped us win the conference championship.”