By Evan Giddings, Student Assistant Athletics Communications Director

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University women's golf team will host the 2015 Willamette Spring Thaw on Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19. The competition will be held at Broken Top Club in Bend, Oregon.

At the Northwest Conference Spring Classic on April 11-12, Willamette placed sixth with a 36-hole score of 724 (367-357). The Bearcats finished six strokes ahead of their lone opponent in this weekend's tournament, Linfield College, which finished seventh at 730 (370-360). Whitman College and Whitworth University shot scores of 629 to for first place.

Taneesh Sra (Jr., Fremont, CA/Mission San Jose HS) was Willamette's top finisher during the Spring Classic, as she tied for fourth at 155. She shot an 80 on the first day and lowered it with a 75 on the second day.

Sra is one of four Bearcats who will compete for Willamette this weekend. Also golfing for the WU women's team at the Willamette Spring Thaw will be LettaJoe Gallup (Jr., Alameda, CA/Holy Names HS),Holly Steele (Fr., Stayton, OR/Stayton HS), Maddi Barnett (Fr., Boise, Idaho/Timberline HS).

Last year, Gallup finished seventh at the 2014 Spring Thaw with a combined score of 162 (80-82). Sra carded a 168 (82-86), which was good for 10th. As a team, WU placed in a tie for second amongst their four other competitors.

Earlier this season, Gallup tied for third at the Pioneer Invitational with a score of 81 on March 14. At the Willamette Cup on Feb. 28, Sra tied for first, while Barnett was third and Gallup tied for fourth. Sra shot an 82, while Barnett recorded an 89 and Gallup registered a 90.

In Saturday's first round of the Willamette Spring Thaw, Gallup and Sra will tee off at 11:30 a.m., followed by Barnett at 11:39 a.m., and Steele at 11:48 p.m. The course will play at 5,850 yards.