By Jim Richards
When former SMCC men’s golf coach Travis Brown approached Meg Matetich about the open women’s golf coaching position at the school, she immediately could see the chance for success.
“I thought there was an opportunity for the program to develop,” said Matetich, also the coach of a very strong Chaparral girls’ high school golf program. “We have access to some very nice courses, The Legacy, The Raven, Talking Stick. (We have) a lot of nice places to practice, which is good.”
This year’s squad also had the benefit of a few lessons from pro Howard Twitty.
Matetich put the pieces in place and within only two years, the SMCC women’s golf team is headed to the NJCAA national tournament.
The Cougars finished in second place in the ACCAC and are headed to the LPGA International Golf Course in Daytona Beach, Fla (May 18-21).
Getting to nationals is quite an accomplishment, considering the Cougars were unable to field a full team the previous season, a problem that has plagued several schools in the ACCAC to the point that a few programs have folded.
“Some of (the graduating high school) girls don’t think they are good enough,” Matetich said. “You have to build their confidence and they can go on. There are a lot of good girls out there that don’t get recognized.”
Almost a certainty to move on to a four-year school is freshman Mandy Gregg, who came within one round of likely being named the ACCAC’s Women’s Golfer of the Year.
Gregg, out of Arcadia, got the season off to a great start as she captured the year’s first individual medalist honor. Her round of 89 in last weeks season finale was her worst of the year.
“It cost her the golfer of the year,” Madetich said of the award that went to Mesa CC’s Monique Breault. “She was disappointed, but she handled it very well.”
Matetich called Gregg a Division I prospect coming out of Arcadia and she was likely fortunate to land her at SMCC.
“I think she just wanted to get used to the college life,” Matetich said. “She wanted to take some baby steps first.”
Gregg could open the eyes of Division I recruiters while in Florida.
“I think we’ll be able to keep her,” Matetich said. “But if a big DI school comes calling, I did my job.”
Joining Gregg on the squad are: Shannon Robertson, a transfer from Paradise Valley CC and a product of St. Mary’s, Jennifer Ricci (Tolleson) Amanda Pacely (Higley) and Amanda Ray (Skyline).
With the womens’ program taking off, South Mountain now can boast of being one of the top junior college golf schools in the country. The SMCC men wrapped up their regular season as the No.1-ranked NJCAA Div.II team in golfstat.com’s latest rankings.
The Cougars’ men’s team will compete in this week’s NJCAA Region I Div.II playoff for the right to go to nationals.
Matetich said the two teams coincide perfectly.
“All the girls are friends with the guys on the team,” she said. “They have class together and they are get along real well.”
With four freshmen on her squad, Matetich will likely be guiding one of the youngest teams in the nation.
“I’m going to tell them to enjoy the experience and it’s no different than being back home and playing,” Matetich said. “I think we’ll do real well. The girls are really starting to get it and believe in what they’ve worked hard for all season. It’s been a heckuva year. We won a tournament. We finished runner-up in the conference.
“I thought they’d be good but they exceeded my expectations.”