Michigan State University Athletics
Women's Golf Follows Men's Hoops to St. Pete
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
March 25, 1999
EAST LANSING, Mich. - There is a program at Michigan State which is rising on the national scene that hopes to continue that climb this weekend in the St. Petersburg, Fla., area. The program is led by a young, energetic coach and a dynamic star with pro potential.
No, this isn't Tom Izzo, Mateen Cleaves and the men's basketball team competing in the Final Four. Also in the Tampa/St. Pete area this weekend are head coach Stacy Slobodnik, sophomore star Kasey Gant and the MSU women's golf team.
The Spartan women's golf team broke into the national top 20 this fall after five straight top-five finishes. This spring the Spartans have produced two more top-five finishes. They compete in the River Wilderness Invitational Monday and Tuesday, March 29-30, in Parrish, Fla., a small town about 30 miles southeast of St. Pete. The tournament's three rounds start at 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Monday and 8 a.m. Tuesday. MSU is the only northern school in the nine-team field.
The leaders of second-year head coach Slobodnik's team have been Gant (Fort Wayne, Ind.) and freshman Emily Bastel (Upper Sandusky, Ohio). Either Gant or Bastel have led the Spartans in every tournament in 1998-99.
The Spartans, who finished ninth in the Big Ten Championship last season, have captured three team championships this year including the Lady Northern, a tournament which included all 11 Big Ten schools.
