• Bears are coming off a good fall season
• Krista Swenson expected to provide team leadership
• DMACC faces tough road to the national championship

The DMACC women's golf team will open the 2022 spring season with its participation in the Ron Streck Invitational May 14 and 15 at Tulsa, Okla.

The Bears are coming off a good fall season, including a first-place tie in the DMACC Invitational and a third-place finish in the Northwest Iowa Collegiate Showcase.

"We wanted to see a team get a little bit better each meet and our women did that," DMACC women's golf coach Chris Seaboch said.

Seaboch welcomes a roster of Covid-19 freshmen (CoFR) Krista Swenson of Story City, Frannie Brown of Grundy Center and Quinn Eslinger of Afton. Freshmen on the roster are Taylor Balsley of Ames, Ashley Michel of Nassau, Bahamas, Dani Nolde of Ogallala, Neb., and Jaiden Wallander of Indianola.

"Krista Swenson and Ashley Michel were back and forth with each other (in the fall)," Seaboch said. "One would beat the other in one tournament and they were back and forth. With the will and drive (Swenson) has, she is going to be a good leader for us with Ashley right on her heels and pushing her all the way."

Rounding out the top five will probably be Balsley, Nolde and Esslinger.

Seaboch said his team put in a lot of good work during winter months.

"They really took to the weight room," Seaboch said. "I think we're going to see some gains there. They did a great job with their work inside."

Seaboch said he doesn't have any real concerns going into the spring season other than the competition the women will face in the North Plains District Qualifier to go the the NJCAA Division II National Championship. He said the Bears will face teams from Nebraska, Kansas and Wyoming.

"I think there are 16 teams in that district and they are only taking the top two (to the national tournament) so it's going to be an uphill climb for us to compete as a team. They are going to offer four at-large bids and I do think if we can play well this spring and get our stroke average down, we might be in line for an at-large bid."