The Bruins are turning over a new leaf in more ways than one.
A new coach, a new course and new players, to name a few.
No. 17 UCLA women’s golf will head to Golf, Illinois for the first time to compete in the Windy City Collegiate Classic from Monday to Tuesday. The Bruins will face off against 15 opponents, including Pac-12 opponents No. 4 USC, No. 6 Oregon and No. 18 Arizona State.
Beyond three conference foes, UCLA will also compete against the top-15 trio of No. 2 Wake Forest, No. 7 Auburn and No. 14 Texas.
Coach Alicia Um Holmes said there was a short turnaround between the previous and upcoming tournaments.
“We really didn’t have much time because we came home late Monday through Friday,” Um Holmes said. “So it was just more about recovering and resting and just doing a few reps to feel ready and confident for this week.”
The Bruins are coming off their first tournament of the season, in which they placed 8th. In sophomore Meghan Royal’s first ever completion as a Bruin, she placed 20th, making her the team’s best scorer at the Mason Rudolph Championship.
Royal said she was pleased with her first performance with UCLA.
“I started off the season fairly strong, so I’m really proud of that,” Royal said. “All I can hope for is to continue and bring the momentum that out of it gave me into the rest of the season.”
Royal is one of five new players to join UCLA this year, alongside freshman Jennifer Seo and a trio of transfers in juniors Tiffany Le and Natalie Vo and senior Kate Villegas.
Junior Caroline Canales – who is entering her third year with the program – said the new additions are adjusting well to Westwood.
“It’s definitely a different group,” Canales said. “We have half of the team that is new this year. So it’s quite an adjustment. I think everyone’s settling in well and getting along and I think it’s looking up for us. We have a lot of potential.”
Canales placed 30th in the season opener – the third-highest finish of any Bruin.
The adaptations to a new culture and position reflect the quick turnaround of the tournaments the Bruins are competing in.
In her first season as head coach, Um Holmes reflected on the changes.
“It’s been a whirlwind quite honestly. It’s been go-go-go since I got promoted to head coach,” Um Holmes said. “I think the biggest adjustment is probably just managing everybody’s time and the preparation that goes into planning for the season.”
UCLA will tee off in their second tournament of the season on Monday.
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