The North Carolina women’s golf team is coming off a career year, but new coach Jan Mann still has her work cut out for her.
Mann, who coached at UNC-Wilmington from 1994 to 2002 and at Virginia from 2002 to 2007, inherits a team that placed seventh at the NCAA Championship last spring, the best finish in UNC history.
But three starters from that team are gone, and the current roster includes two freshmen and a transfer student from Auburn.
“We did lose three starters and we do have to fill those spots, but the team has really stepped up,” Mann said. “I am certainly confident that we will make it through regionals and on to the NCAAs. With the talent on this team, we have the opportunity to go far.”
The only senior on the team is Kate Thomas, a four-year UNC starter who Mann called one of the best ball-strikers she has ever seen.
“What I bring to the table is leadership by example,” Thomas said. “But I also give people pushes when it needs to be done, and I’m there when they want me to be.”
Sophomore Catherine O’Donnell, who was named a team co-captain, is also ready to be a leader.
“Some people are made to do it and some aren’t, and it comes naturally to me,” O’Donnell said. “I’ve traveled and been successful, so people look up to me because I’ve done it before.”
Mann said she believed that with the help of their veteran teammates, the less experienced players would be able to significantly contribute to the team.
“It will be difficult to play as well at nationals because of the younger team,” Thomas said. “But I also believe it can be done.”
In the end, Mann said, the early growing pains of the young Tar Heels shouldn’t hurt them too much. The ACC Championship, NCAA Regionals and NCAA Championship will be the only tournaments that matter.
“We certainly want to do well in everything else for the rankings,” Mann said. “But those are the ultimate three tournaments right there.”
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