Aagaard Begins Sixth Season at Cal Poly in Valley Invitational

Monday, February 8

Bakersfield, CA

8 a.m.

Valley Invitational

Caroline Cantlay led the Mustangs with a 75.1 scoring average a year ago as she heads into her fourth season with the women's golf program.

Aagaard Begins Sixth Season at Cal Poly in Valley Invitational

2/5/2021 12:32:00 PM | Women's Golf

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- More than 11 months since its last competition, the Cal Poly women's golf team finally gets its 2020-21 season Monday and Tuesday at the Valley Invitational co-hosted by the Mustangs and CSU Bakersfield.

Its fall schedule wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic, Cal Poly will squeeze in six tournaments over the next 10 weeks in preparation for the Big West Conference Championship, slated for April 19-21 at the Yorba Linda Country Club.

"It is with great excitement that we begin our upcoming competitive season," said Aagaard, in her sixth season as head coach of the Mustangs. "It has been since last March that the team competed together and we have missed it, every bit of it, coach and players alike."

Cal Poly will compete against the Roadrunners, Boise State, California Baptist, Colorado State, Cal State Fullerton, Dixie State, Grand Canyon, Santa Clara and Utah Valley at the Bakersfield Country Club.

After a practice round Sunday, players will complete 36 holes Monday and the final 18 holes Tuesday. Live scoring will be available with a link posted on the women's golf schedule page at GoPoly.com

The Mustangs have been practicing throughout the fall and winter months in preparation for what is hoped to be a productive spring season.

"We practiced and worked out with the goal of being ready when we get to compete again," said Aagaard. "The daily grind was for sure challenging as we just didn't know much about the future and when we would get to tee it up in competition again.

"The team stayed motivated and competitive through practice and play, feeling grateful that we were able and allowed to play golf as many of our fellow competitors across the country were not as fortunate," Aagaard added.

"Our Mustangs have spent quality time and energy on improving swing mechanics through the fall, something that at times is challenging to do in between tournaments. This fall, with no events, gave a perfect opportunity and hopefully we will see longer and straighter shots, what all golfers want."

Leading the way for Cal Poly will be redshirt juniors Caroline Cantlay and Madi Daniel, redshirt sophomores Elizabeth Scholtes and Vanessa Wang and redshirt freshman Jensen Jalufka, all of whom were accorded an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA after their 2019-20 season was cut short.

Cantlay led last year's squad with a 75.1 scoring average over 20 rounds, followed by Wang at 75.2. Both earned a trio of top-10 finishes.

Scholtes averaged 76.1 strokes per round, Jalufka 76.4 and Daniel 77.6. Jalufka had wrist surgery last fall and will be sidelined a few more weeks.

Newcomers to the program this year are Nicole Neale, a graduate of Tesoro High School in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., and Carissa Wu, from Carondelet High School in Concord, Calif.

"I am proud of how the team has stayed patient and committed in this ever-changing environment," said Aagaard. "What we knew yesterday may not be true for today or tomorrow. Mentally this can be very challenging."

Cal Poly also will compete in The Gold Rush (Old Ranch Golf Course in Seal Beach), Bruin-Wave Invitational (Saticoy Country Club), Juli Inkster Invitational (Meadow Club in Fairfax), Arizona State Invitational (Phoenix) and Fresno State Classic (Copper River Country Club).