80 • | AUGUST 2020 | BACK TO CAMPUS GUIDE | SPORTS & RECREATION
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Women’s golf excited to hit the links
File photo by Amanda Sullivan/THE STANDARD
Junior Abby Cavaiani lines up a shot during the fall 2019 season. COLE SUTTON Sports Reporter @ColeSutton23 With the final three tournaments of last season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Missouri State’s women’s golf team is looking to make the most of every competition in the 2020-21campaign. Head coach Kevin Kane said he believes that when, not if, golf returns, the squad will be ready. “I’m fairly optimistic that our sport is well equipped to handle this as anything,” Kane said. “I’m guessing we’ll have to do things like taking temperatures and other health precautions. I see us being able to start on time.” The Bears’ roster will look very similar to last year’s with Sophia Sadaro being the only departing senior. Kane will rely heavily on his freshman and sophomores coming into next season. “I really enjoy this bunch of kids, I think we have the potential to be really good,” Kane said. “If you look at the core of my team, most are freshman and sophomores who got about twothirds of a season of growth, development and maturity that didn’t really cost them anything.” Kane said he recognizes how important finishing strong with the short game can be for MSU. “As a team we need to be better with our short game and make more putts — 10-15 ft. birdie
putts — things like that,” Kane said. We’re probably better ball strikers than putters, and we need to catch up with that.” Kane said the roster is full of competition and this year may be just as competitive, if not more, to find a spot on the squad. Kane knows that the teams’ success will go through Sophomore Abby Cavaiani. “(Cavaiani) is a coach’s dream,” Kane said. “She works hard and lives the right way on and off the course. I’ve never been around a golfer as even-keel as she is. Every good team needs to have a horse, and Abby is our horse.” Cavaiani led the Bears in every single tournament last season, including five top-10 finishes. She placed third in the Payne Stewart Memorial Tournament, MSU’s best placement, and was named the MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Kane is certainly looking forward to the season beginning, but above all else is reuniting with his players. “This team and group of kids I probably enjoy being around as any team I’ve ever had — and I’ve been doing this a long time,” Kane said. “I guess I’m just looking forward to being around them everyday again. There’s hard work, experience, talent, there’s a lot to be excited about.” The MSU women’s golf team is slated to hit the links for the first time of the season around early September.
