University of Tennessee Athletics
RETAMOZA STARTS SEASON WITH NO. 5 GOLFWEEK RANKING
September 10, 2003 | Women's Golf
Sept. 10, 2003
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
Sophomore golfer Violeta Retamoza (Aguascalientes, Mexico) will open up the season this weekend as Golfweek's fifth-ranked player in the nation when she battles the field in the NCAA Fall Preview in Auburn, Ala. Already a preseason first-team All-American, Retamoza closed out last season as a second-team National Golf Coaches Association All-American and the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year, while finishing the campaign as the No. 10 player in the country.
Retamoza concluded the 2002-03 season as the squad's shot leader with a 74.15 average in nine tournaments played, which set a new standard as the best shot average by a Lady Vol freshman. She also placed in the top 10 in five tourneys throughout the season and matched Mary Jan Fernandez's (Henderson, Nev.) program-low third-round 67 at the 2002 Auburn Tiger Derby.
Earlier in the season, Retamoza tied former Lady Vol All-American Katharina Larsson for the most tourney medals by a UT golfer after defeating Auburn's Celeste Troche in a playoff at the Auburn Tiger Derby. She also blew away the rest of the competition over the last two days with a pair of under-par rounds (70, 67) to come-from-behind after tying for 21st following the first round for a three-day 211 total (74-70-67).
Golfweek Preseason Individual Top 10
- Erica Blasberg, Arizona
- Virada Nirapathpongporn, Duke
- Elizabeth Janangelo, Duke
- Charlotte Mayorkas, UCLA
- Violeta Retamoza, Tennessee
- Kristen White, Ohio State
- Aimee Cho, Florida
- Karin Sjodin, Oklahoma State
- Annie Thurman, Oklahoma State
- Kailin Downs, New Mexico
