Photo courtesy of gobonnies.com
BY: AIDAN SHINNERS; STAFF WRITER
St. Bonaventure University will be introducing its 20th athletic program this fall semester: women’s golf. The Bonnies are currently scheduled for four events during the fall half of the season, with the possibility open to add one more. Currently, Bonaventure will be competing in their first event, the Charge at Quail Valley in Littlestown, PA. on Sept. 14-15.
Director of Golf Patrick Damore said that the idea has been on the table for at least a year now, and when he took over, the athletic department felt the time was right to roll it out.
“In the last 16 months it was being kicked around,” Damore said. “It had come to my attention when the previous coach resigned in May, and they asked me to come on board.”
Damore, who also serves as the men’s golf coach, said he expects the men’s and women’s teams to learn from one another.
“The girls’ patience is better, so the guys can learn from that,” Damore said. “Both teams bring strong traits to the table and they’re going to improve each other.”
Damore, a former PGA professional, said the experienced PGA coaching staff, which he hopes to add to, has played a big role in recruiting.
“I’m hoping to hire another PGA professional in the next month or two to work with the women’s team,” Damore said. “That’s been a huge selling point for recruits.”
One of Damore’s first recruits, Josie Phillips, said she chose Bonaventure over established golf programs because she wants to be part of building this program up from the bottom.
“I wanted the chance to create my own path and traditions, rather than just follow in someone else’s footsteps,” Phillips said. “Being part of a new program gives me the opportunity to set the standard, help build a strong foundation and create a program that future players can be proud of.”
Phillips, who started all four years at Spalding High School in Maryland, plans to step in as a leader on the team right away.
“I plan to lead by example, encouraging my teammates to stay focused, accountable and motivated,” Phillips said. “I want to help establish a culture where every player takes pride in the program and works together to build something lasting for future players.”
Fayetteville Manlius High School’s Lizzie Noel, who has an average placement of fifth in Junior PGA tournaments, is excited to be a Bonnie and hopes to help the team in any way possible.
“Being recruited as one of the first few players on the team is an honor,” Noel said. “I hope my attitude, determination and work ethic will benefit my future college teammates.”
The team is still looking to fill out their inaugural six player roster, currently only at three, but Damore said there are transfer players interested. Damore said on top of recruiting for this upcoming season, he’s already preparing for year two.
“We’ve got about four or five transfers that are thinking about coming here,” Damore said. “I’ve already started looking at high school juniors to recruit next year.”
Damore said with this being a new program, he’s not sure what to expect from the team, but wants his players to get better and stay competitive.
“The main goal is to make players better,” Damore said. “I want try and creep up to the middle of the Atlantic 10 standings by conference time.”
Noel has similar aspirations to her new coach, adding that she’s excited to learn more about how the game is played at the Division I level.
“My expectations going into the first year are that my teammates and I will continue to compete each season and get better and stronger each following year,” Noel said. “My freshman year’s focus is to learn as much as I can on and off the course.”
Phillips has high expectations for herself and her new teammates, expecting to compete at a high level as soon as possible and control as much as they can about the game.
“My expectation is that we compete at a high level, enter every event with confidence and start building recognition for our school and our program,” Phillips said. “I want us to focus on controlling what we can; our preparation, effort and mindset, rather than worrying about our opponents.”
