Sept. 2, 2015

COLUMBIA, S.C. — For the second-consecutive year, South Carolina women’s golf is ranked No. 10 in Golfweek’s preseason countdown of the top 30 Division I women’s golf programs, the publication announced Wednesday.

South Carolina finished last season ranked No. 6 by Golfweek and Golfstat after a historic season. The Gamecocks earned the program’s first No. 1 ranking last fall following their win at the prestigious ANNIKA Intercollegiate. They received a No. 1 seed in the NCAA East Regional last spring for the first time in program history before winning the regional title for the third time in five years.

Head coach Kalen Anderson returns five letterwinners from last year’s squad in seniors Sarah Shmelzel and Karoline Woie, juniors Katelyn Dambaugh and Jia Xin Yang and sophomore Ainhoa Olarra. Dambaugh garnered Honorable Mention All-American honors last season and has been named second-team All-SEC in each of her first two seasons. As a unit, the Gamecocks set a school record with 10 top-five finishes last season.

The Gamecocks open the 2015-16 season Sept. 18-20 at the Mason Rudolph Championship in Nashville, Tenn. View what Golfweek had to say about the Gamecocks HERE.