Oct. 16, 2012

The No. 3 USC women's golf team, whose active streak of seven consecutive NCAA top 5 finishes leads the country, completes the 2012-2013 fall slate at the 2012 Stanford Intercollegiate at the Stanford (Calif.) G.C. Friday through Sunday (Oct. 19-21).

Results will be available at Golfstat.com. Actions begins at 8:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Sunday's start is yet to be set. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will serve as the tournament's host and will present awards on Sunday.

The field includes host Stanford, Arizona, Arizona State, California, Georgia, Harvard, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Oregon State, Pepperdine, San Jose State, Texas, UC Davis, UCLA, USC, Vanderbilt and Washington.

2012-2013 Event Recaps

Cougar Classic
USC opened the 2012-13 season with a third-place finish at the College of Charleston "Cougar Classic" at the Yeamans Hall Club in Charleston, S.C., in September. Junior Sophia Popov and sophomore Doris Chen tied for 12th while freshman Kyung Kim tied for 14th to lead the No. 3 USC women's golf team to third place at the College of Charleston "Cougar Classic" at the Yeamans Hall Club in Charleston, S.C., on Tuesday (Sept. 11). The Trojans, in their season-opening event, finished a combined 1-under 863 (285-283-295). Florida, the second-round leader, went on to win at 12-under 852 while Duke finished second at 6-under 858. Popov (70-69-76) and Chen (72-71-72) tied for 12th at 1-under 215. Popov, who produced six top 20 finishes last season, had two birdies in her final round while Chen paired four bogeys with four birdies. Chen posted eight finishes in the top 20 in nine events last year and has a current streak of four top 14 results in a row.

Fall Preview
Junior Sophia Popov used a 2-under 70 to finish tied for fifth while sophomore Doris Chen carded a par as No. 4 USC tied for fourth at the 2012 Liz Murphey Fall Preview at the University of Georgia G.C. in Athens, Ga., on Oct. 7. The Trojans tied for third at a combined 19-over 883 (295-297-291) with their best round of the event. North Carolina came from behind to win at 12-over 876 (297-289-290) while defending NCAA champion Alabama took second at 16-over 880 (296-289-295). USC caught and tied day-two leader Auburn. Popov posted her second straight top 12 finish at even 216 (71-75-70), three strokes out of first. Chen also posted her second top 20 result in a row, tying for 16th at 3-over 219 (73-74-72). Popov had a four-birdie round and was 2-under on the back 9 while Chen had two birdies against two bogeys.

---

USC STAT NOTES
Junior Sophia Popov is USC's active career leader in rounds in the 60s with 12 (including one this year). USC's record is 15 (held by Jennifer Song). The school record for a season is eight. She is also Troy's active leader in wins with four, one off the school career record of five, shared by Irene Cho and Mikaela Parmlid ... The Trojans posted two wins last season, marking the sixth time in the past seven seasons they won at least that many events in a year, the seventh time in the last 10 and the 10th time in the last 14. Troy won five times in 2008, four each in 2003, 2010 and 2011 and three times in 1999.

---

The Trojans, winners of the 2003 and 2008 NCAA titles, finished second by one stroke to the Crimson Tide last season, the second time in three seasons the Trojans finished second by a lone shot. USC not only has seven straight top 5 NCAA finishes, but has eight in the past 10 years.

USC won two tournaments last season, claiming the Battle at Rancho Bernardo and the 2012 NCAA Central Regional. The latter title was Troy's NCAA-best eighth regional crown. Troy also had four second-place finishes, including at the NCAA and Pac-12 Championships.

The Trojans, under 17th-year NGCA Hall of Fame coach Andrea Gaston, are led by junior Sophia Popov and sophomore Doris Chen. Popov was a 2011 All-American first teamer and earned All-American honorable mention honors in 2012. Chen was an All-American first teamer in 2012. Each won conference titles as freshmen, Popov in 2011, Chen in 2012. Popov was named to Golf World's 2012 "Top 10" Female Players to Watch list while Chen was on its "Top 50" list.

Also back is junior Rachel Morris, a 2011 NCAA All-Region performer who had a pair of top 20 finishes as a 2012 sophomore.

Joining the squad are highly rated freshmen Kyung Kim of Chandler, Ariz., and Kim Santiago from Lynwood, Wash. Kim is a four-time Rolex Junior All-American, twice as a first teamer, and the 2010 Arizona High School Player of the Year. She was also on Golf World's 2012 "Top 50" Female Players to Watch list. Santiago is a two-time AJGA Scholastic All-American.