The girls golf team at Xavier College Preparatory begins its season at full speed with new talent and a team dynamic that points to a successful year.

Of Xavier’s 16 players, eight are freshmen, but coach Sister Lynn Winsor has high expectations for the first-year players.

So far, returning junior Ivy Song and returning senior Lauren Garcia are starting out the season strong with a scoring average of 1 under par for nine holes.

After winning eight straight state titles, the team fell short in 2019, taking second place at last year's tournament. The team dynamic is more important than ever in order to win another championship and to adapt to new rules and regulations due to COVID-19.

Sister Winsor says the girls are playing well after winning nine matches in a row so far this season. With Xavier ranked second in the state behind Pinnacle High School, the team’s main focus is to bond in order to restart the state championship-winning streak once again.

With new guidelines in place for matches, supporting one another will be a priority. 
Players have had to get used to competing without spectators present in order to follow social distancing guidelines.

Bonding always has been a key factor in this program. Before the pandemic, players were able to stick around after matches to congratulate team members and find out the results of the match. Now, they go home right after and wait for the results.

“I always enjoyed it as a coach to watch the team come in and congratulate each other at the end of their rounds,” Sister Winsor said., “Now, we have to find other ways to do so.”

Sister Winsor believes there will be a lot of good competition at the state championship. As of right now, five players can represent Xavier at the state championship. About eight players on the team are in good standing to fill in those five spots. 
 
Xavier plans to have its teammates and families present at the state championship for support and to help the team dynamic.