Staying put
Published: 6/8/2007 9:37 AM
Last Modified: 6/8/2007 9:37 AM
The Oklahoma State women's golf program will remain on stable ground for the next few years.
While it was not national headline news, Thursday's announcement that Georgia hired Arkansas' Kelley Hester to guide the Lady Bulldogs' program was welcomed in Athens and Stillwater. It was believed OSU coach Laura Matthews received strong consideration for the Georgia job.
Like Hester, Matthews is a former standout player at Georgia and a former assistant at Georgia. In her two years at OSU, Matthews has provided stability and increased expectations.
Amy Weeks guided the Cowgirls to a national runnerup finish in 2004 before moving into the OSU athletic administration later that year. Mike McGraw took over for the 2005 season before taking over the men's program when Mike Holder was appointed athletic director.
Matthews inherited a young team upon her hiring in the fall of 2005. She has developed that young talent into one of the top teams nationally. The Cowgirls will return Pernilla Lindberg, Karin Kinnerud, Amanda Johnson and Sarah Bradley from this year's five-player lineup.
The success the OSU men's golf program has attained over six decades always has overshadowed the women's program. Matthews has believed from day one on the job that the women's program can contend and eventually win national championships.
Her staying in Stillwater definitely helps that objective.
--- Matt Doyle
Written by
Bill Haisten
Sports Writer
