Wissing steps up as freshman, leads UNK at RMAC |
| Posted by Administrator on Apr 29 2009 |
Photo by Garrett Ritonya
Hasting freshman Sara Wissing tees off on number four at Meadowlark Hills in preparation for her appearance in the NCAA Central Regional. Wissing is the first women's golfer to appear in postseason play since 2002.
By Garrett Ritonya
Antelope Staff
In just her first year as a golfer for UNK, freshman Sara Wissing has shown tremendous potential to become one of the top women's golfers in the program's history.
Last week, Wissing led the Lopers to a sixth place finish at the RMAC Championships in Buckeye, Ariz., shooting a 36-hole total of 170 to tie for fifteenth place and cap off an incredible opening year.
In only a few events this year, Wissing has finished first in one tournament and tied for first in another, consistently leading the Lopers in scoring average and placing high at tournaments.
All of this should come as a surprise to those who follow golf, since Wissing has only been playing the sport since her freshman year of high school.
"My parents wanted me to get involved with a sport, and it was either going to be volleyball or golf and I decided to try golf," Wissing said. "For my first high school tournament I shot a 136, but since it was my first year playing, I didn't know what was considered bad."
Despite shooting such a high number, she never got deterred from progressing in a sport her entire family participated in, admitting that before coming to college, she had never received any type of formal lessons. After that incredibly high number in her first event, her next score was a 126, so she knew she was getting better.
By her junior year of high school playing for Hastings, she was constantly around the upper 70s and low 80s, winning a high percentage of her high school invites and winning the Class B State Championship that year.
"Since coming to college I haven't stopped working on my game," Wissing said. "Being a part of a collegiate team has given me those opportunities and with the addition of Chad, we have been able to work on all aspects of our swing."
Wissing came into this season expected to contribute, but behind senior Megan Marshall and sophomores Emily Carlson and Thea Baum, she wasn't prepared to be doing so much so soon. But Wissing, the competitor that she is, came right out of the gate swinging, tying for first in her first collegiate competition.
So what does the future hold for this young woman looking to stamp her name in the legacy of UNK athletics?
"Well I will continue to work on my short game from within 100 yards and try to make my game as complete as it can be," Wissing said. "It's just enough motivation for me to go out there and work as hard as I can, so that way when I look back, I can be considered one of the best in the history of the program."
On Monday afternoon, Wissing was selected as a representative for UNK in the NCAA Central Regional tournament, the first phase in making it to the Division II NCAA Tournament. She is the second ranked individual in her region and is the first Loper women's golfer to participate in postseason play since 2002, when the Lopers made it as a team. The Central Regional will take place May 4-6 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
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