Duke's women's golf team opens its new season Monday from a perch that became all too familiar last year: the top. After spending much of last year as the nation's top-ranked team before falling just short of a national championship, the Blue Devils come into the NCAA Fall Preview in Auburn, Washington, at number one.
Expectations certainly breed pressure, but the honors placed on this team before the beginning of the season are perhaps not the greatest pressure they will deal with this fall. The Blue Devils must compete for the entire fall season without senior captain Candy Hannemann, last year's NCAA individual champion, who is out following reconstructive surgery on her right ankle after an injury suffered during match play at the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship.
"We've been looking forward to this since May. We're really excited," sophomore Leigh Ann Hardin said. "Candy's our leader, and it's going to be difficult, but I think we can all come together."
Coming in as the clear favorite certainly has its advantages, but it also has its pitfalls, as the rest of the field will be constantly gunning for the Blue Devils.
However, most of the team agrees that their ranking is only a number, one that, while an honor, requires solid play to back it up.
"We're ready for a challenge," coach Dan Brooks said. "Candy is our number one player, but I've noticed everyone else really stepping up and working hard."
Hard work is something that all of the Blue Devils know they will need in order to succeed, but the absence of Hannemann provides a new opportunity for all of the team members to work hard, because they know they will be directly involved in competition. Five golfers are usually selected to play in a tournament, four in the team lineup, and one as an individual.
"I think we probably have the smallest team in the nation," sophomore Virada Nirapathpongporn said. "But in this situation, it really helps, because since five people go to tournaments, we can all play."
The opportunity for all five active members of the team to play is something that they agree will help to further develop their skills and improve the team in the long run.
"Overall, it's definitely a negative to have Candy out, but we're trying to look at the developmental side." Brooks said. "When we get to the end of the season, it will be nice to know that all six have been playing a lot, because we want to have everyone playing well."
Another silver lining to the problem of Hannemann's injury is the fact that the team's lone freshman player, Niloufar Aazam-Zanganeh, will have a chance to step right into the mix and gain valuable tournament experience. Big things are expected of Aazam-Zanganeh, a four-time Juniors and Ladies National Champion in her native Switzerland.
Regardless of who they are missing, or the experience level of their players, the Blue Devils ride into the fall preview as the team to beat. Not only are they ranked No. 1 in the nation, but they have won the tournament twice in a row. Though there are a lot of questions for the upcoming season, one thing is for sure: they are aiming for the top. This week's tournament should clear up some questions as to how far they have to go to reach that goal.
"Candy not being with us at the beginning can tell us how good we are and how good we're going to be," Nirapathpongporn said. "Since we all have to play, that challenges even the fifth player to play the best, and that pushes everyone else. Then, when Candy comes back, that's going to be scary."
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.