The Norwalk girls golf team enters the season with a young 14-player roster overall, but is looking for improvement led by a mix of veterans and newcomers.

The Warriors placed fifth in last year’s Little Hawkeye Conference Tournament and seventh in their Class 4A Regional, graduating nine seniors off the squad. 

Top returning players this spring include seniors Ruby Hoch and Haley Cooper, junior Calissa O’Connor and sophomore Lydia Krueger. Additional players in the mix for varsity playing time are sophomores Ava Garvey, Allie Soukup and Mariola Torro Abad, and freshman Addie Smith.

Norwalk coach Steve Wermerskirchen says that eight or nine girls are competing for the six varsity spots and that practices are going well. He says that many players are working hard on their game and staying late after practice to hit on the driving range.

Wermerskirchen also likes the fact that he has several multi-sport athletes on the team.

“Probably our biggest strength right now is that we’re athletic and we’ve got great athletes that play multiple sports, and you don’t always see that with golfers,” he said. “These kids have kind of made a commitment to not only (play) basketball or volleyball, but they’re out here on the golf course too and that’s just going to help us.”

Wermerskirchen calls the team very coachable and is also happy to welcome Leanne Smith – one of the state’s top amateur golfers – as a volunteer coach.

Norwalk’s first meet of the season was canceled on Saturday due to the weather. The Warrior girls are now slated to open the season on Tuesday with a quad meet at Ballard.