Season Preview: Women's Golf looks for sixth consecutive upper-division OAC finish in 2017-18

By Caleb Scott

ADA — The Ohio Northern women's golf program will look to post its sixth consecutive upper-division Ohio Athletic Conference during the 2017-18 campaign under 5th-year head coach Chad Bucci.

The Polar Bears finished the 2016-17 season on a strong note as they finished third at the OAC Championships and finished 26-27 overall.

Bucci welcomes welcomes back nine letterwinners to a very experienced Polar Bear team.

"Our men's and women's programs are very similar at this point," said head coach Chad Bucci. "We have some gaps to fill, but I think with a much improved group of upper-class girls and four talented freshman players coming in, I don't think we will miss a beat."

Three time letterwinner and lone senior Madison Dramis (Huber Heights/Wayne) returns to the team with the most experience for Northern.

Dramis posted a 102.2 average through 12 rounds last season.

Northern welcomes back juniors Ashley Bisciotti (Hilliard/Bradley), Alaina Mikolajewski (Piqua), Stacie Shalenberger (North Canton/Glen Oak), Suzanne Short (Findlay), and Caitlin Silva (Hilliard/Bradley), each of which are 2-time letterwinners for ONU.

Silva returns after ranking second on the team with an 88.3 average through 15 rounds last season.

The junior posted the 17th best single season average in school history in 2016-17.

Short makes her return after ranking fourth on the squad, averaging 89.1 strokes per round for 13 rounds which also ranks in the top-20 in school history.

"We like the group we have coming back this season," said Bucci. "They played a big role in our success last season."

Sophomores and letterwinners Taylor Daniel (Columbia City, Ind.), Alexis Miller (Wayne/Elmwood), and Lydia Shealy (Tiro/Buckeye Central) will look to add depth and experience to the team in 2017-18.

Northern welcomes four newcomers in 2017-18 as Lydia Cranmer (Farmington Hills, Mich./Ladywood), Allison Logue (Cincinnati/McAuley), Angela Miller (Clarksville/Clinton-Massie), and Hayley Watkins (Bellefontaine) all join the team.

Northern opens the fall schedule on Sept. 2-3 as it hosts the ONU Classic at Colonial Golf Club.

The Polar Bears will also compete in the Ohio Wesleyan Fall Invitational and Heidelberg Fall Invitational in September before wrapping the fall schedule up at the Wittenberg Fall Invitational on Oct. 7-8.