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The SIU women's golf team is eager to stay atop the mountain, while the men's team aspires to get there.
The Saluki women go from the hunter to the hunted as they attempt to defend their 2007 Missouri Valley Conference championship. SIU travels to Phoenix to compete in the Rio Verde Invitational, looking to improve on its third place finish at the Southern Mississippi Invitational, which took place Feb. 11 and 12 in Baja, Mexico.
Coach Diane Daugherty said she likes what her golfers bring to the table.
"One of the most exciting things about this team is that we haven't yet played to our potential," Daugherty said. "We've had different people step up to the bat about every tournament this year."
If SIU repeats, it will likely be because of the play of its upperclassmen.
Daugherty said she expects seniors Christine Zoerlein and Kelly Gerlach to be the Salukis' top performers.
One of the Salukis' newest additions won't be taking any swings with the team this year. Samantha Sambursky joins the coaching staff as the first full-time assistant coach in Daugherty's 22-year coaching career in Carbondale.
Sambursky, who graduated in December with a degree in math education, played 89 rounds in four seasons for the Salukis. Her name was Samantha Sutzer before she wed former SIU quarterback Joel Sambursky in January.
Daugherty said her new assistant is doing a good job making the transition from a teammate to a coach.
"It's an opportunity for me to latch on to one of my kids that cares about the program as much as I do," Daugherty said.
While the women enter their third tournament, the Saluki men's team looks to start the spring season on a positive note March 10 in Limestone, Ala., at the Samford Spring Invite.
After three second-place finishes during the fall season, SIU will attempt to get over the hump as it tries to capture its first Missouri Valley Conference championship.
Leroy Newton enters his 12th season as Saluki men's coach with seniors Matt Ellis and Brandon Vagner, junior Todd Obergoenner and sophomore Blake Driskell in tow. The quartet makes up the Salukis' returning players, who hope to improve on the team's fourth consecutive top-four finish in the MVC.
Ellis said the second-place finishes helped the Salukis gain confidence coming into the spring.
"We were close once or twice, but we definitely want to get a win," Ellis said. "The main goal is to win conference, get to regionals and go on to nationals."
Joining Ellis and the Saluki returnees are newcomers Phillip Collier, Jordan Cox and John Danielson.
Danielson, a junior transfer student from Indian Hills Community College, said he came to SIU hoping to win a conference championship.
"I wasn't here last year, but we're definitely trying to improve on that fourth place finish," Danielson said.
Luis C. Medina can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 238 or lcm1986@siu.edu.
