‘Eaters focused to repeat

Steve Virgen

CRAWFORD HALL -- As UC Irvine women’s golf coach Kelly Crawford

says, there was one word that described the Anteaters inaugural

season last year.

Unbelievable.

The Anteaters are back this year to build off their historic

season. They are minus their top player, but they have two women who

plan to make up for the loss of Walailak Satarak.

Satarak, who would have been a sophomore this year, will not play

for the Anteaters. She has turned her focus toward a career as a pro.

She is going to an LPGA qualifying school next week in Florida, where

more than 200 players will be trying out for 30 spots to play on the

tour.

Sophomore Stella Lee and freshman Angela Won are expected to lead

the Anteaters’ women’s golf team in its second year of existence.

“The expectations are high,” Campbell said. “We certainly don’t

want to take any steps backward. We certainly want to move forward.

The expectations are that we are going to play at the level we

finished at. If they’re not aware of that now they will be after our

first team meeting (Sept. 7).”

Satarak led Irvine through a memorable season that ended with a

Big West Conference title. Crawford was recognized as the Big West’s

Coach of the Year and Satarak earned Big West Female Golfer of the

Year honors. The Anteaters finished 17th in the NCAA West Regional,

and Satarak finished 15th overall.

Lee provided key contributions, as well. As a freshman, she won

the Big West individual title in April, shooting 222 (74-73-75) for

the tournament.

With the departure of Satarak, Lee is intent on maintaining the

success of Irvine’s No. 1.

“Those are some big shoes to fill,” Crawford said of the loss of

Satarak, who reached the quarterfinals of the USGA Women’s Amateur

Championship. “You hate for that to happen, losing your best player.

I’m very proud of her. She had a great career. Hopefully, she’ll be

able to take the UCI name on the tour.”

Lee is expected to take over the No. 1 spot for the Anteaters. In

addition, Irvine will have Won, the highly regarded freshman from

University High.

“She has that first year of experience,” Crawford said of Lee.

“And, she knows what she needs to accomplish, and knows what’s needed

to elevate the team to the next level.”

Won also comes with high expectations. She ranked 51st overall and

18th among the class of 2002 by GolfWeek magazine. She carried a 35.4

high school stroke average, and won four consecutive league

championships. Won captured the CIF Southern Section individual title

last year and qualified for match play in the 2001 U.S. Junior Girls

Championship. Won, the three-time Pacific Coast League Most Valuable

Player was a two-time CIF medalist.

“(Signing Won) says a lot about the program,” Crawford said of her

women’s golf team. “I think (UCI) being the only Division I program

in Orange County, I mean, who wouldn’t want to come here? We are

definitely moving along better than what I imagined.

“She has just a great work ethic,” Crawford said of Won. “I expect

her to step in and make an impact right away. She is the kind of

player who can take our program to the next level.”

Sophomore Shelly Raworth plans to be a key returner for the

Anteaters. Crawford said Raworth developed her confidence throughout

the inaugural season, and is expected to build upon that.

Karlie Ward, who played as a junior transfer last year, will be

redshirthing this season, while last year’s Anteaters Hye-Yoon Jung

and Sunny Lee will not rejoin Irvine. Jung plans to focus on

academics. Lee transferred to the University of San Francisco and put

golf to the side to concentrate on a nursing career.

In their place, the Anteaters will have Channing Lovejoy, a junior

transfer who played as the No. 1 for Boston College last year. She is

originally from Orange County and graduated from nearby Woodbridge

High. Incoming freshman Sara Huber from Carlsbad and Reana Yun from

Glendale, will also be a part of Irvine’s goals of winning and

maintaining a rich tradition.

“I think they’re all going to be good players,” Crawford said of

her new trio. “We are going to have competition for that third,

fourth and fifth spot.”

The Anteaters start their season with a tournament in Oregon,

Sept. 16, and in the spring, they will attempt to successfully defend

their Big West championship.