CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Results of the 2023-24 American Rivers Conference Women's Golf Preseason Poll (as voted on by the league's head coaches):
| 2023-24 American Rivers Conference Women's Golf Preseason Coaches' Poll |
| Rank |
School (1st place votes) |
Points |
2022-23 Highlights |
| 1. |
Central (8) |
64 |
317.0 scoring average (Conference Champions) |
| 2. |
Dubuque (1) |
56 |
329.0 scoring average |
| 3. |
Wartburg |
49 |
339.8 scoring average |
| 4. |
Coe |
45 |
342.3 scoring average |
| 5. |
Nebraska Wesleyan |
28 |
362.4 scoring average |
| 6. |
Buena Vista |
25 |
358.4 scoring average |
| 7. |
Luther |
24 |
352.3 scoring average |
| 8. |
Simpson |
23 |
364.7 scoring average |
| 9. |
Loras |
10 |
414.2 scoring average |
The Central College Dutch are the coaches' choice to win the 2023 American Rivers Conference Women's Golf title. The Dutch were last season's conference champions and were chosen first on eight ballots (coaches do not vote on their own team) and earned 64 points to earn the No. 1 ranking. Dubuque garnered 56 points in the poll and received one first-place vote. Wartburg debuts at No. 3 in the coaches' poll, earning 49 points, and Coe picked up 45 points to put them at the No. 4 spot. The Prairie Wolves tallied 28 points to put them at the No. 5 spot and Buena Vista picked up 25 points to earn sixth. Luther, Simpson, and Loras finished seventh, eighth, and ninth, respectively.
The Schedule: The first putts in the 2023 will drop on Saturday, September 2 with eight of the nine members of the American Rivers Conference taking the course at the Kohawk Invite. Buena Vista, Central, Coe, Dubuque, Loras, Luther, Simpson, and Wartburg will all compete at Pheasant Ridge in Cedar Falls, Iowa in the two-day, 36-hole event. Nebraska Wesleyan will hit the links on Wednesday, September 6 when they compete in the Siouxland Women's Invite, in the two-day, 36-hole tournament.
The A-R-C Women's Golf Championship will take place on Saturday, October 7 through Monday, October 9 in Ames, Iowa at Ames Golf & Country Club hosted by the University of Dubuque. The champion will receive the leagues' automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III Championships in May at Keene Trace in Nicholasville, Kentucky.
| 1st |
|
Central College
Head Coach: Tabitha Schumacher (4th season)
2022 Conference Finish: 1st
2022-23 Team Scoring Average: 317.0
Starters Returning: 2
All-Conference Returning: Lydia Grond (Jr.), Mackenzie Biggs (Sr.)
All-Conference Lost: Delaney Underwood, Thea Lunning
Tabitha Schumacher - "Following up last season is not going to be easy. We have 3 open spots in the top 5 from last year, but I feel like we have a strong group of players who are up to the task. I am excited to get the season underway to see what players rise to the challenge and help our team compete at a high level." |
| Players to Watch: (Returners Only) |
2022-23 Scoring Average |
| Mackenzie Biggs (Sr.) |
80.1 |
| Lydia Grond (Jr.) |
81.5 |
| 2nd |
|
University of Dubuque
Head Coach: Dustin Bierman (8th season)
2022 Conference Finish: 2nd
2022-23 Team Scoring Average: 329.0
Starters Returning: 3
All-Conference Returning: Morgan Hawkins (Jr.), Brooke Bunjes (Sr.)
All-Conference Lost: Madison Bowers
Dustin Bierman - "Looking forward to a great fall season within the American River Conference and should be a fun race to our conference tournament in October. I am excited to see how this year’s team will come together and compete each tournament. We have a lot of upper classmen on this team and will look for their leadership and experience throughout the season. As for our conference as a whole I think Central, Coe and Wartburg will be at the top competing for a conference title this fall. Should be an exciting conference tournament race this fall.” |
| Players to Watch: (Returners Only) |
2022-23 Scoring Average |
| Mary Edwards (Gr.) |
83.8 |
| Sarah Fergus (Sr.) |
86.0 |
| Sara Nerad (Sr.) |
86.0 |
| 3rd |
|
Wartburg College
Head Coach: John Thompson (3rd season)
2022 Conference Finish: 3rd
2022-23 Team Scoring Average: 339.8
Starters Returning: 4
All-Conference Returning: Lauren Sease (Sr.)
All-Conference Lost: Ashley Delong
John Thompson - "I'm excited to start the season. The team had a strong finish to the spring season. The players have put in a lot of work in the offseason. This should be an exciting season!" |
| Players to Watch: (Returners Only) |
2022-23 Scoring Average |
| Lauren Sease (Sr.) |
81.9 |
| Hannah Fangmann (Jr.) |
89.3 |
| Drucilla Kramer (Jr.) |
86.0 |
| 4th |
|
Coe College
Head Coach: Eric Karius (5th season)
2022 Conference Finish: 4th
2022-23 Team Scoring Average: 342.3
Starters Returning: 5
All-Conference Returning: None
All-Conference Lost: None
Eric Karius - "The team is excited to compete this fall. We look forward to taking another step forward as a program and seeing how we stack up against the rest of the conference." |
| Players to Watch: (Returners Only) |
2022-23 Scoring Average |
| Megan Tanghe (Sr.) |
82.60 |
| Kye Daywitt (So.) |
86.93 |
| 5th |
|
Nebraska Wesleyan University
Head Coach: David Clouse (1st season)
2022 Conference Finish: 6th
2022-23 Team Scoring Average: 362.4
Starters Returning: 3
All-Conference Returning: Madison Jackson (Jr.)
All-Conference Lost: None
David Clouse- "This year's group of returners and new faces have the ability to make leaps and bounds from previous years. I am excited to guide the program through a tough conference and non-conference competition schedule." |
| Players to Watch: (Returners Only) |
2022-23 Scoring Average |
| Madison Jackson (Jr.) |
84.7 |
| Emalie Wightman (Sr.) |
90.2 |
| 6th |
|
Buena Vista University
Head Coach: Joe Powell (3rd season)
2022 Conference Finish: 7th
2022-23 Team Scoring Average: 358.4
All-Conference Returning: None
All-Conference Lost: None
Joe Powell - "I am excited to see what this group of young ladies can bring to the table in the fall season of 2023. We made some great strides throughout the spring and with having three returning starting players, and a couple of new faces on the team to help out the returners." |
| Players to Watch: (Returners Only) |
2022-23 Scoring Average |
| Brooke Stellmaker (So.) |
86.8 |
| 7th |
|
Luther College
Head Coach: Terry Tipton (1st season)
2022 Conference Finish: 5th
2022-23 Team Scoring Average: 352.3
Starters Returning: 2
All-Conference Returning: None
All-Conference Lost: None
Terry Tipton - "We can't wait to start the 2023 season. Our young group is eager to grow together as a team and compete among all the talented teams in the A-R-C." |
| Players to Watch: (Returners Only) |
2022-23 Scoring Average |
| Teagan Schaefer (So.) |
89.8 |
| Samantha Suski (Jr.) |
96.1 |
| Tori Schnell (Jr.) |
93.5 |
| 8th |
|
Simpson College
Head Coach: Jeremy Johnson (3rd season)
2022 Conference Finish: 8th
2022-23 Team Scoring Average: 364.7
Starters Returning: 5
All-Conference Returning: None
All-Conference Lost: None
Jeremy Johnson - "I'm excited to get the 2023 season underway. We return all six of our players from last year. Having a young nucleus in place really helps our culture as we move forward. We will be welcoming four new freshman to this year's roster. All four have the potential to contribute right away." |
| Players to Watch: (Returners Only) |
2022-23 Scoring Average |
| Maddy Streicher (Jr.) |
84.1 |
| Taylor Elam (Jr.) |
90.9 |
| 9th |
|
Loras College
Head Coach: Will Arndt (2nd season)
2022 Conference Finish: 9th
2022-23 Team Scoring Average: 414.2
Starters Returning: 4
All-Conference Returning: None
All-Conference Lost: None
Will Arndt - "We are incredibly excited to get the season underway. We have a young and growing team with a chip on their shoulder, hungry to succeed." |
| Players to Watch: (Returners Only) |
2022-23 Scoring Average |
| Jenna Bistline (So.) |
92.2 |
