Program jumps to next level

The IU women's golf program has been a dominant force in the Big Ten since the conference's first official championship team in 1982. That first year IU finished seventh, but since then has finished out of the top three just twice.\nThe Hoosiers have won seven Big Ten titles, second in the conference to Ohio State's eight. IU has placed either first or second in 12 of the last 14 championships and has finished in the top three an astounding 18 of 21 years.\nThe 2001-2002 season marked the first time since 1987 that IU did not win at least one tournament. But the Hoosiers lost only one contributor off last year's team and have won three tournaments this year and finished in the top four on three other occasions. \n"This year we are more consistent with our play," junior Ambry Bishop said. "We also had a lot of people return from last year's team which helps. We have all improved our games to that next level."\nThe Hoosiers started the fall season with great success, winning two of the first four tournaments they competed in. A break for winter halted the team's momentum, and when the squad returned to the course in late February, they struggled to re-create the early season success. But the team's confidence was not shaken and two weeks ago in North Carolina, the team captured its third title of the season.\n"It was important because I think it built more confidence," coach Sam Carmichael said. "That's what 90 percent of this game is." \nThe main difference between this year's team and last year's is the amount of confidence and consistency the squad has been playing with this season.\n"The girls are a year older, which has given them more experience and confidence," Carmichael said. "Their short games and course management is a lot better, and they are mentally tough to forget about the bad holes, whereas last year they weren't as tough." \nThe team has one more tournament before the Big Ten Championships, the Lady Buckeye Invitational, and Carmichael said he does not want the team to overlook the tournament.\n"I haven't started to look at or even think about the Big Ten Championship yet. We take it one tournament at a time and try to improve each week," Carmichael said.\nBut while Carmichael said the Big Ten Championship is not on his mind, many of IU's golfers entered this season eyeing the championship as an opportunity to atone for last season's disappointment. \n"We're just all playing well right now," junior Karen Dennison said. "Winning the Big Ten Championship is by far our biggest goal, and we're doing everything we can to reach it. It has been our top goal from day one"