Aug. 22, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
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Q: How's the team looking this year going into the season?
A: The team looks really powerful this year. We are returning nine underclassmen and we have Grace Chung arriving from Canada. We should be at the top half of the Big Ten. I think we have a good chance this year of winning some tournaments down the road.
Q: You've had a few other players earning success this summer.
A: Emily Ransone qualified for the U.S. Women's Amateur and also won the Delaware State Championship with Christina Vosters finishing in second place. Elyse Archambault won the Quebec Match Play Championship. Katlyn Elliott finished eighth in the Junior Girls Championship. Erin Michel won the Cincinnati Match Play tournament. We've had a lot of success out there this summer. You know the girls are out there and playing. It's such a quick turnaround from the first day of practice to the first day of competition, but it's nice to see the girls are winning during the summer and are in shape coming back.
Q: What are some good destinations you have on the schedule?
A: We start out at Charleston and then head to Yale. Then we have our home match, the Nittany Lion Invitational. Then from there we have the Mercedes, which is Tennessee's tournament, and then we head to UNLV. The Mercedes and the Cougar Classic in Charleston are highly competitive with big hitters. It'll be a good testament to how we'll be this fall.
Ellen Ceresko, Jr.
Q: How are you feeling after your injury last season?
A: I'm feeling a lot better. I took my medicine and followed the doctor's instructions. I did and got stronger. I feel almost at 100 percent. I'm taking it day-by-day and seeing what's happened. My elbow will never be 100 percent, but my win at the PA Amateur was a great win and definitely upped my confidence.
Q: Was that refreshing to have success after the injury?
A: It's always nice to have a win coming into the season and to have the momentum going into the fall. Hopefully our teammates will come together. This group of girls has a great bond and I'm looking forward to playing with them.
Q: How did your injury, golfer's elbow, affect you?
A: It was very painful. There was a very sharp pain. I rested it over the Christmas break and thought it would be better. It came back and so I saw an elbow specialist. He said I needed to be done for the season to get it healed and strengthen it up again. It was definitely the hardest decision of my life. It was a blessing in disguise. I learned a lot of patience. I'm stronger than ever coming into the fall season.
Q: Having hosted the NCAAs last year, but not being able to participate yourselves, was that frustrating?
A: I volunteered all three days. Just looking at the girls and watching the top players play, it made me realize we are not that far off at all. I think we have a lot of talent. It was unfortunate that we didn't make it, but I learned a lot by watching the players. We definitely should make it this year without a doubt in my mind. We have great girls and a great bond. Hopefully we can put it together, mentally and physically.
Q: How nice is it to play every day with people you enjoy spending time with?
A: It's awesome. We're a family. We have great experiences, we have a good time and we laugh. We have an appreciation for each other and makes the golf game so much easier. It takes away the pressure and we can just enjoy the game.