The Kansas University women’s golf team will tee off next season with the Kansas Women’s Golf Association Amateur champion, two participants at the U.S. Women’s Amateur and one All-Big 12 Conference golfer.

But, with five freshmen coming into the program, KU coach Erin O’Neil expects even better performances from her all-star cast.

“For the returners, it’s going to be good to have those freshmen,” O’Neil said. “Because they’re going to be putting fire under the returners because there will be a lot of competition for who will get to travel to tournaments. And that is going to be good for everyone and force them to pick up their level of play.”

That means Kansas Amateur champion Annie Giangrosso and All-Big 12 performer Amanda Costner – the two representatives at the U.S. Women’s Amateur on Aug. 7-13 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Ore. – will compete not only against a strong Big 12 Conference, but also against Sydney Wilson, Alyssa Rainbolt, Meghan Gockel, Emily Powers and Camilla Svensson.

“Giangrosso and Costner have really been working hard with great summers,” O’Neil said. “They’re getting better and better, and I can’t wait to see how they perform on and off the course. And they definitely are going to be a key to our success, because they are a great pair of leaders.”

O’Neil said she hopes to red-shirt Rainbolt and Wilson, a Lawrence High graduate who finished tied for 16th at the Women’s Golf Assn. Amateur Championship.