ETSU women's golf: the journey back to the top of the SoCon

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WCYB) — 15th out of 15, 14th out of 14, and 18th out of 19... that was how the ETSU Women's Golf team was performing up until a turn around weekend at the Low Country Intercollegiate in mid-March... now as the team prepares for their first NCAA Regional since 2021, they're reflecting on the journey it took to get there.

When ETSU's Women's Golf team tee'd off for the SoCon Championship, not even they could anticipate what would unfold over the next three days.

ETSU Junior Sophie Bert saying, "we were all very baffled that it happened, but we were super happy with it."

Capturing the team's first Southern Conference Championship since 2021, this group battled back from a tough fall, with the work they put in off the course coming through when it counted.

"You know, sitting here now, looking back, it's been a tremendous process, and tremendous growth in the team," said ETSU Women's Golf head coach Stefanie Shelton. "Individually watching them have that faith, but then that also brought them together to where they knew everybody was doing the same thing and gosh did that build very quickly."

Undergoing mental training, the team let go of the fear, embraced the faith, and were reminded about the fun of the game through the process.

Bert adding, "At the end of the day, it's still a game. I think realizing that, like ok, we're here to enjoy it as well, and not just be competitive, and to be like we've gotta do this too bad, to see the side of enjoying it while playing a competition, that's what we did, and I think that was the biggest win for us."

Rediscovering the love for the sport, and the fun that comes along with it, this team is ready to keep the good times going as they head into NCAA Regionals.

"We got into conference as the underdog, and were going to go into regionals as the underdog again. I think to show them what we've been working on, especially for this past month and a half, just to show them what we can do, and what we can do as a team," said Bert.

Shelton adding, "As a mid-major going in there against some of these big dogs, you know I'm excited because it's the people that you have going and competing, and I like our people, I like our people right now, our team, and I'm excited to go represent ETSU."

The Bucs will find out where they're headed on Wednesday, but regardless of the destination, this group is ready to perform.