University of Richmond Athletics
Women's Golf Outlook: Spiders Aiming For First Colonial Athletic Association Title
09/03/2005 | Women's Golf
Sept. 3, 2005
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - When you're taking over as head coach of a collegiate program, it's ideal to have the former head coach nearby to help in the transition.
University of Richmond first-year women's golf coach Leighann Rastede couldn't have her predecessor any closer. LaRee Sugg, who started the Richmond women's golf program four years ago, gave up her coaching duties to become an assistant athletic director and the department's senior women's administrator.
Rastede's office happens to be directly across the hall from Sugg's.
"It's a benefit to have LaRee still here, it has definitely helped make my transition very smooth," Rastede said. "We are very similar in our coaching style and philosophy, so the student-athletes should have a fairly easy time adapting."
Rastede, who was an assistant at Penn State before coming to Richmond, likes the team that she has inherited from Sugg, a squad that returns every contributor from last year. Add two very talented freshmen to the mix and Rastede has the Spiders believing in a team tag line: "Spiders Get What They Want."
And the Spiders want their first Colonial Athletic Association title.
"Our first goal this year and every year is to win the conference championship," Rastede said. "I definitely expect us to vie for the title, we should be a major player at the conference tournament. We have all the girls returning and we're adding two freshmen who will challenge the upperclassmen."
The team will be led by sophomores Natasha Lopez Moreira (Asuncion, Paraguay).
"Ally and Natasha will be big players for us this year," Rastede said. "They both had good summers and I expect the two of them to duke it out for the No. 1 position throughout the year."
Caffrey led the Spiders with a 77.6 stroke average last year as a freshman with four top-10 finishes, including a third-place finish in the Yale Fall Intercollegiate and a fourth-place finish in the Spider Spring Invitational. Caffrey took eighth at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships.
"Ally had a really good summer, playing a lot of competitive golf," Rastede said. "I expect her to be a force to be reckoned with this year."
Moreira was second on the team with a 78.0 stroke average and five top-10 finishes. She finished third at the Miccosukee Championship, fourth at the Ross Resorts Invitational and 10th at the CAA tournament.
"Natasha looks like she got stronger over the summer," Rastede said. "She dedicated herself to training hard in all aspects of her game."
Sophomore Ashley Lambert (Bradenton, Fla.) was fourth on the team in stroke average last year and posted two top-10 finishes, including taking seventh at the CAA Championships. This summer she played in the Pub Links and the North/South Amateur, where she made it to match play.
"Ashley had a strong summer and will come back very tournament tough," Rastede said.
Lauren Ritter (Watchung, N.J.) is one of four seniors on the roster who will make up the first graduating class of Spider women's golfers. Ritter was fifth on the team in stroke average last year and posted two top-25 finishes, including a 15th-place finish at the Ross Resorts Invitational. She finished third at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships in 2004.
"Lauren battled an injury last year, but is rehabbed and ready to go," Rastede said.
Ritter is joined by fellow seniors Elizabeth Cushing (Westwood, Mass.), Whitney McComis (Bridgeport, Texas) and Lesley Monachino (Shaker Heights, Ohio).
"The seniors bring a lot of experience and leadership to the table," Rastede said. "They helped build this program from the bottom up and we are depending on them helping us get to the top of the conference."
Rastede believes sophomore Alex Latimer (San Antonio, Texas) will also have a shot of making it into the lineup this year.
"She has good skill and has a year of college experience under her belt," Rastede said. "She will continue to improve, she has really worked hard at her short game."
Rastede will welcome two talented freshmen onto the team and feels both could break into the lineup this fall.
Rosario Germino (Necohea, Argentina) was the Argentina's Junior National Champion and has a wealth of international experience uncommon for someone her age. Julia Nouss (Saint Louis, Mo.) played in several national tournaments over the summer, including the prestigious Optimist Junior.
Rastede is very excited about the one-of-a-kind practice facility that the University of Richmond enjoys. The facility, located minutes from campus, has a driving range, practice putting green and short-game area, along with numerous other amenities, making it one of the best collegiate facilities in the nation.
"It's really exciting to have the practice facility, you can use it in so many ways," Rastede said. "College golfers don't need as much technical work as they need to work on their course management. This facility was designed to allow them to work on anything from punching out, to playing difficult lies, but also includes the classic driving range. This will really help the players improve all aspects of their games."
Richmond opens the fall season on Sept. 4 with a match against William & Mary at The Tradition Golf Club at Stonehouse. The Spiders first tournament is Sept. 12-13 at the Cougar Classic in Charleston, S.C.