The men and women’s golf teams have been busy swinging away. The women had their conference season during the fall, while the men are nearing the end of their spring season.

Last fall the women qualified for the NCAA tournament by winning the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament. Nationals will make place May 8 through May 11 in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida at El Campeon Golf Course at the Mission Inn Resort and Club.

The women took a trip to Florida over spring break and had the opportunity to play the course they will be playing for nationals soon. Junior Noel Triebel thought this was a good chance for the Storm to get familiar with the course.

“It was a good opportunity for us to play the course,” Triebel said. “That way there won’t be as many surprises when we get down there.”

The women placed second behind St. Ambrose University this past weekend at the Loras Invitational in Dubuque. Smith led the Storm with a score of 81. Senior Jessica Harvey had the second lowest score for the Storm with a 90. Triebel and freshman Katie Vaux each finished with a 91. Senior Jenny Goodall rounded out the Storm with a score of 92.

The women have their last meet before nationals coming up in Cedar Rapids on April 16. They will play in the Mt. Mercy Invitational. It will be the last time the Storm will have the chance to compete against other teams before heading down to Florida.

“We only have one more meet left before nationals,” said Smith. “We are all looking to play a great round so we have a good attitude going into the first day of nationals.”

The men’s team has competed in six meets so far this spring. Junior David Combs says that the season has gotten off to a good start.

“The season has gotten off to a decent start, despite the poor weather we have had this spring,” Combs said. “We have a win at our Simpson Invite and a couple of decent finishes, fourth and sixth respectively, in St. Louis and Dubuque.

April 2 the men’s junior varsity team placed fifth and eighth at the William Penn Invitational at Edmundson Golf Course in Oskaloosa.

The Simpson Red JV team placed fifth and was lead by freshman John Richter, who tied for ninth. The Simpson Black JV team placed eighth and was led by junior Trevor Sharp, who tied for 23rd.

March 31 and April 1 the varsity men’s team placed sixth at the Loras Invitational at Dubuque. Simpson was led by junior Cody Scharf, who tied for second with a score of 71. Combs was second in for the Storm, tying for 13th with a score of 75.

Combs believes all players are doing a nice job contributing to the team.

“We have been getting solid play from the whole lineup, from the upperclassmen to the freshmen” Combs said. “The JV has played very solid as well.”

Their last conference meet is April 13 and 14 in Storm Lake at the Buena Vista Invitational. Combs is optimistic about the conference tournament.

“This upcoming weekend in the Buena Vista tournament should give us a good tune up for the conference tournament,” Combs said. “I feel that we have a solid group of guys, and if we take care of our own business we should be right there that last weekend to make a run for the conference title.”