Loyola
The Ramblers should welcome back five of the six players from last season’s team that was the runner-up at the Class AA state tournament. The only player who won’t be there at the start of the season is junior Colleen Huffman, who suffered an injury playing lacrosse.
Loyola also will be without longtime coach Jim Jackimiec, who retired after 42 years coaching golf at the school, including the last 20 with the girls. He guided the Ramblers to second-place finishes in 2013 and 2014. Heather Penn, Jackimiec’s assistant for 13 years, replaces him.
“I have a good idea of what’s been done, and I look forward to continuing the traditions as well as doing a few things of my own,” Penn said.
Senior Blake Yaccino (tied for eighth), sophomore Nina Rutkowski (tied for 13th) and junior Margaret Hickey (tied for 38th) all finished in the top 38 at the state tournament last year and are expected to headline the team again this fall. Seniors Nicole Wetoska and Madison Banas also are back.
“We absolutely want to win a state title,” Penn said. “That is our goal every year.”
Hinsdale Central is again expected to stand in Loyola’s way. The Red Devils won the state title by 15 strokes last season and only graduated one player from that team.
Glenbrook North
The Spartans were a few sand saves away from qualifying for the sectional tournament last season.
After missing out by a mere four strokes, they figure to be hungry to take the next step in the Class AA state series this season. With All-Central Suburban players Amy Hong, a senior, and Emma Vickery, a junior, back, the Spartans have two veteran players who can lead the way.
According to Glenbrook North coach Michael Schroeder, both played a lot of competitive golf this summer. Junior Ana Sabic, another varsity veteran, gives the Spartans some depth behind Hong and Vickery.
“The team has a lot of potential this year,” Schroeder said.
Maine South
The Hawks won’t be the same team that placed ninth at the Class AA state tournament last year after graduating five players from the top six. What’s more, Jeff Hamann decided to resign his post as coach.
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Although Maine South might be rebuilding, first-year coach and former longtime assistant Matt Ellefson said the Hawks aren’t lowering their expectations. For the first time in program history, they won a regional and sectional championship in the same season last year.
“I am excited,” said Ellefson, who has been with the girls program since 2005. “We did lose a lot of good players, but a positive is that we continue to have more and more girls who are interested in coming out for golf.”
He said he expects to have as many as 15 underclassmen in the program.
“We feel this bodes well for the future,” Ellefson said.
Kelly Maigler is the lone leftover from last year’s postseason lineup, and Ellefson said the junior’s capable of being the team’s new No. 1 player. But she will be one of the few with varsity experience.
New Trier
With six finishes in the top three at the Class AA state tournament in the last seven seasons, the Trevians always seem to be in the hunt for a state championship, which they won in 2010 and 2012. They took third last season.
Led by senior Louise McCulloch, New Trier once again is expected to be one of the state’s best. McCulloch, a Northwestern recruit, tied for 18th at state last season and then traveled the country this summer playing against the best junior competition.
Rachel Rhee played in all three postseason tournaments as a freshman, and also is set to contribute. However, the Trevians will have to find at least four players to fill out their top six after the graduation of four seniors.
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