New UNLV women’s golf coach Bush takes veteran squad into home event

Coaching changes usually require an adjustment period.

For the UNLV women's golf program, the adjustment that came with the promotion of Amy Bush from assistant to head coach has been minimal, thanks to the veteran team she inherited from Missy Ringler.

The transition has been smooth as Bush's Rebels have played well this fall, improving with each tournament.

However, Bush said this is the time to take a big step forward as UNLV hosts the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown at Boulder Creek beginning today. The 54-hole tournament, which concludes Wednesday, will be the final event the team participates in until February, so Bush is looking for continued progress.

"We're coming together," Bush said Sunday. "We've been doing a lot of team-building and I think we're ready to take that next step."

UNLV's lineup, which tees off today at 8:10 a.m., will consist of seniors Therese Koelbaek and Alejandra Guacaneme, junior Kristen Schelling, sophomore Ellis Keenan and freshman Katerina Prokorova.

"Therese is playing unbelievable," Bush said of Koelbaek, who recently competed for her native Denmark in the World Amateur Team Championships in Argentina. "This is her next-to-last home tournament and I think she and Alejandra are going to be really motivated to win."

UNLV has not won its fall tournament since 2004, and this year's field is strong, with Arizona, Arkansas, Louisville, Kent State, Oregon, New Mexico, Washington State, San Jose State and Washington scheduled to compete.

"We've been out at Boulder Creek a lot and we want to take advantage of our knowledge of the course," Bush said of the Rebels, who are ranked No. 36 nationally in the Golfweek Poll.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.