USI Women’s Golf projected to finish eighth in OVC preseason poll

EVANSVILLE, Ind.- The University of Southern Indiana Women’s Golf team was voted to finish eighth in the Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Poll. The Screaming Eagles will open the season at Mill Springs, North Carolina to compete in the Bright Creek Intercollegiate, hosted by Gardner-Webb on February 24-25. 
 
The reigning OVC champs, Morehead State University emerged as the favorite in the poll with five first-place votes. University of Arkansas at Little Rock finished just behind with four first-place votes. Rounding out the top five is Tennessee Tech University, Western Illinois University, and Lindenwood University. 
 
The bottom four in the poll was Eastern Illinois University, Chicago State University, USI, and Tennessee State University, respectively.
 
USI will travel in all four regular season matches that features events hosted by Gardner-Webb University in Mill Springs, North Carolina (February 24-25), Samford University in Huntsville, Alabama (March 4-6) Northern Kentucky in Batavia, Ohio (March 25-26), Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana (April 7-8). The regular season leads up to the Ohio Valley Conference Championship in Tunica, Mississippi on April 14-16.
 
Ann Sullivan takes the reigns as the new head coach. Sullivan previously coached at Brenau University where she led the Tigers for two years. “We look forward to teeing it up at the Bright Creek Collegiate next month and start the season strong in our first of five tournaments this spring,” says Sullivan. “We are also excited to compete for the 2024 Women’s Golf OVC Championship this April in Tunica, Mississippi, and we hope to improve on last year’s finish.”
 
USI got their feet wet in their first season of NCAA Division I, after finishing sixth in the OVC Conference Championship last year. The season was highlighted by a sixth place finish at The Julie, hosted by Northern Kentucky and a fifth place finish at the Jan Weaver Invitational, hosted by Murray State. 
 
The Eagles are led by a trio of seniors Halle Gutwein (DeMotte, Indiana), Haylee Exline (Poseyville, Indiana), and Katelyn Sayyalinh (Rockford, Illinois). All three are OVC Commissioner’s honor roll members. Junior Baileigh Schneider (Huntingburg, Indiana) is another pivotal contributor who won OVC Golfer of the Week last March.
 
The squad also brings back sophomore Sydni Thurlow (Belleville, Illinois), along with the additions of freshman Ashlynn Weir (Evansville, Indiana) and Alexis Wymer (Bridgeport, Illinois)