Larger squad ready for 2009 season

The UW-Platteville golf team increased its roster to seven this year, with five newcomers joining junior Tricia Pawelski and sophomore Kerrie Liske. Coach Peter Reif, the only coach the Pioneers have had since the program's inception in 1999, talked about the upcoming season with Sports Information Director Paul Erickson.

This is the 10th year of a team and 11th year as a golf program for you and the Pioneers. Does it seem like that long to you?

"It does not seem that long, and in fact, I was surprised when the conference coaches were talking last fall and all of a sudden I looked around and realized I was the longest-tenured coach there. I've enjoyed every minute of it and hope to continue doing this into the future."

One of the things that's noticeable about this year's team is there are more players than in previous years. Will that give you more competition for spots?

"It certainly helps them being a little more competitive with one another, knowing they have to work a little bit harder for a spot on the team. All seven right now, whether or not they play competitively in the fall, are very important to the program and to the future. We're very thankful that we're building the program for the future."

With four freshman and no seniors on the roster, do you look at this as a two-year process or do you think you will be competitive right off the bat?

"I think we can be comparable to the scores that we had last year, probably around 360. After the freshmen get some time, the next couple of years look very bright and very succesful for women's golf. I'm definitely looking at what we can do immediately, but the future is also very exciting to think about."