FAYETTEVILLE -- Coach Shauna Estes-Taylor and her nationally tied-for-12th Arkansas women's golf team weren't long home from missing the top-eight match play for the national championship in Eugene, Ore., when her lone senior-to-be plotted for the 2017 NCAA women's tournament.
Junior three-year letter winner Summar Roachell of Conway will be Arkansas' lone senior for 2017 just as Regina Plasencia was its lone senior for the 2016 team that finished third in the Southeastern Conference.
"We'll be led next year by Summar Roachell," said Estes-Taylor at her season wrapup press conference Thursday, the day after Washington beat Stanford in the match play final for the national championship. "She texted me last night, watching the national championship, that 'I promise you I will get this group together and we are going to fight and be in position next year.' She is just such a cool, passionate young lady that loves golf and loves the Razorbacks. It really bleeds over into our team. To have that out of her will be important and I think she will do a great job out on the golf course as well. I am excited to have her lead this group next year."
Roachell will be the elder stateswoman for a team that on talent will be led by sophomore-to-be Maria Fassi, named honorable mention all-American by the Women's Golf Coaches Association and junior-to-be Alana Uriell, the Razorbacks' top player in Eugene and for their fifth place at the Stanford Regional that advanced them to the stroke-play portion of the NCAA tournament in Eugene.
"Alana really shined in the spotlight the entire postseason," Estes-Taylor said. "We got to the national championship tournament because of Alana. She is tough as nails. We had some great play out of Maria Fassi being an all-American after a semester of being here."
Estes-Taylor said some day Fassi will join former Razorbacks Stacy Lewis, the 2007 NCAA champion and 2012 and '14 LPGA player of the year, and Gaby Lopez, currently in the running for rookie of the year, on the LPGA Tour.
"She is learning so much with golf and school," Estes-Taylor said. "Maria is super talented and an amazing competitor and looking down the road to be successful professionally."
Fassi gets a sneak preview of the professional experience. Retaining her amateur status, Fassi has received a sponsor's exemption to play in the LPGA's Wal-Mart Classic that Pinnacle Country Club hosts June 24-26 in Rogers.
Lewis, the event's 2014 winner, and Lopez will both play the Wal-Mart Classic, and Plasencia and Uriell both will be in its June 20 Monday qualifying.
Lewis for the U.S. and Lopez for her native Mexico will play in the Summer Olympic Games in August in Brazil.
Lewis has a really busy summer ahead as she is engaged to wed Gerrod Chadwell, the coach of Houston's men. Whenever time has been available, Lewis has assisted Estes-Taylor and the Razorbacks as a volunteer coach.
Estes-Taylor said she would love to watch Lewis and Lopez play in the Olympics, but she has a team to work on in 2017 that adds heralded incoming freshman Angella Then of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
"Angella Then will have a heavy impact on our program next year," Estes-Taylor said. "We have a very, very talented group of young ladies, and I am already excited heading into the summer about their future."
Sports on 05/28/2016