Women's golf gets its own coach

Todd McCorkle, formerly the associate head coach for both the men's and women's teams, has become the head coach of the women's team, replacing Rick LaRose, who was the head coach for both teams last year.

LaRose will keep his post as the men's head coach.

"To take over one of the top programs in the country as my first head coaching job is a dream come true for me," McCorkle said.

"Last year, one team would be left without a coach when we traveled with the other," he said. "The women will get our full attention. It will be a lot more individual."

LaRose's record of two NCAA Championships, five NCAA Regional Championships and three Pacific 10 Conference Championships for his men's and women's teams may be a tough act to follow, but Christina Monteiro, a returning sophomore, said McCorkle's different style would be a plus.

She said there wasn't always a coach at the practices last year to make sure all the women were there.

"Todd qualifies for our tournaments and is going to be out at all our practices," Monteiro said, referring to the coach's decision on who competes at tournaments and who doesn't.

"There will be some tournaments where all the girls qualify but other times it's going to come down to who is swinging best," McCorkle said.

Monteiro said the whole team is behind the change.

"Most people are ecstatic. He's just gung-ho to go," she said.

Two upperclassmen, Jenna Daniels and Krissy Register, both second team All-Americans last year, head up McCorkle's team this season

Daniels was also the Pac-10 Champion and was ranked sixth individually in the country, while Register, a first team Academic All-American, was ranked third individually.

The team's first practice is Wednesday and the Wildcats have a tournament coming up in mid-September at the TOBY Cup in Tokyo.

Monteiro, who spent a month of her summer in Asia for the Pac-10 All-Star Team, said she couldn't be more excited.

"I hope I get to go," she said. "I can't wait to go back.

"There are going to be a few more rules and rigid guidelines this year and I know we are going to have to work a lot harder," she added.

Amy Solfisburg, the assistant coach for last year's men's and women's teams, will also be concentrating solely on the women this year as an assistant.

"Amy is great. This is her sixth year with the team and she is like a mom to the girls and does all of the girls' academic monitoring," McCorkle said.

When asked if he is going to coach the women different than the men, McCorkle said that while certain situations are handled differently, when it comes down to it, "Golf is golf."