Nate Allen
Special to the News-Times
FAYETTEVILLE - Coach Shauna Estes-Taylor and her 12th ranked Arkansas Razorbacks women’s golf team will have lofty expectations next season.
“We’ll be led next year by Summar Roachell,” Estes-Taylor said at her season wrapup press conference last Thursday. “She texted me last night while watching the national championship, saying that ‘I promise you I will get this group together and we are going to fight and be in position next year.' She is just such a cool, passionate young lady that loves golf and loves the Razorbacks. It really bleeds over into our team. To have that out of her will be important and I think she will do a great job out on the golf course as well. I am excited to have her lead this group next year.”
Roachell will be the elder stateswoman for a team that will be led by sophomore to-be Maria Fassi, who was named honorable mention All-American by the WGCA (Women’s Golf Coaches Association). Junior-to-be Alana Uriell, was the Razorbacks' top player in Eugene, Oregon and at the Stanford Regional in Palo Alto, Calif.
“Alana really shined in the spotlight the entire postseason,” Estes-Taylor said. “We got to the National Championship tournament because of Alana. She is tough as nails. We had some great play out of Maria Fassi being an All-American after a semester of being here.”
Estes-Taylor said at some point, Fassi will join Stacy Lewis – the former Razorback NCAA champion who has also gained success as a professional – and former Razorback Gaby Lopez on the LPGA tour.
“She is learning so much with golf and school,” Estes-Taylor said. “Maria is super talented and an amazing competitor and looking down the road to be successful professionally.”
Fassi gets a sneak preview of the professional experience.
Retaining her amateur status, Fassi has received a sponsor’s exemption to play in the LPGA’s Walmart Classic that the Pinnacle Course hosts June 24-26 in Rogers.
Lewis, the 2014 Walmart winner, and Lopez will both play the Walmart Tournament. Plasencia and Uriell are slated to be in the June 20th play-ins for the Walmart field.
Additionally, Lewis for the United States. and Lopez for her native Mexico –will play in the Summer Olympic Games in August in Brazil.
Lewis has a really busy summer ahead as she is engaged to wed Gerrod Chadwell, the coach of the University of Houston’s men team.
Whenever time has been available, Lewis has assisted Estes-Taylor and the Razorbacks’ women’s golf team as a volunteer coach.
Estes-Taylor said she would love to watch Lewis and Lopez play in the Olympics but she has a team to work on in 2017 that adds heralded incoming freshman Angella Then, a native of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
“Angella Then will have a heavy impact on our program next year,” Estes-Taylor said. “We have a very, very talented group of young ladies and I am already excited heading into the summer about their future.”