March 3, 2005

Preseason Praise: For the first time in the program's history the Rebels were ranked in the top-20 of Golfweek's preseason rankings. UNLV came into the 2003-04 season with the No. 20 ranking in the country. The first-ever ranking would be the beginning of a season full of firsts for the Rebels.

Let's Get It Started: UNLV lived up to its preseason recognition by winning the Northwest Invite by 12 strokes over TCU. The Rebels' victory was the second tournament win in school history. Three individuals placed in the top-10, as Sunny Oh finished third, Hwanhee Lee came in fifth and Seema Sadekar placed eighth in what was her first collegiate tournament.

Showing They Belong: The Rebels once again showed they were quickly becoming one of the top programs in the country with a fifth-place finish at the Wildcat Invitationa in Tucson, Ariz. UNLV defeated four other top-25 programs at the tournament and had three players finish in the top-20. Oh again led the Rebels, something the sophomore would do the entire season as she finished the tournament tied for 15th. Elena Kurokawa finished 17th and Lee was 20th to close out the fall schedule.

Spring Starter: UNLV finished second at the Invitational at Coral de Tierra golf course as three Rebels cracked the top-15 in April. Oh finished the tournament in seventh place after climbing five spots on the leaderboard on the final day. Sadekar reached the top-10 with an eighth-place finish while Kurokawa came in 12th.

Whistlin' Dixie: Once wasn't enough for the Rebels as they defended their BYU Dixie Classic championship finishing with a commanding 27-stroke margin over runner-up San Francisco. UNLV broke two school records during the final round of its win -- lowest round as a team with a 289 and lowest three-day total with an 876. Oh led the event from wire-to-wire and defeated her own teammate, Sadekar, by three stokes. It was the second win of Oh's career.

Oh In The Pros: Oh qualified for the LPGA Takefuji Classic, which was held in Las Vegas, marking the first time that a UNLV women's golfer competed in an LPGA Tour event. Oh qualified as an amateur and was one of just two such players in the 144-player field. Oh finished the three-round tournament tied for 49th, shooting a five-over 221.

Confernce Champions: After a heart-breaking ending in 2003 that saw UNLV lose by a stroke to New Mexico, the Rebels reversed their fortunes with a two-stroke victory over the Lobos. It was the first Mountain West Conference women's golf title for UNLV, ending New Mexico's four-year reign at the top. UNLV's team total of 856 broke the MWC record, which was set by New Mexico in 2001 (861). Oh captured medalist honors by two strokes after carding a two-under 211. Lee finished fifth, Kurokawa was seventh and Sadekar came in ninth. Sadekar set UNLV's record for the lowest single round in a tournament with a five-under 66.

Rolling At Regionals: UNLV continued its strong spring run with a second-place finish at the NCAA East Regional in Howey-In-The-Hills, Fla., earning the team its first-ever trip to the NCAA Championships. The Rebels finished behind Duke, but were 29 strokes ahead of third-place Oklahoma State. UNLV, which entered the tournament ranked No. 17, beat four teams ranked in the top-15. Oh tied for fifth, nine strokes out of first place.

The National Stage: For the first time in the history of the program, UNLV had an entire team at the NCAA Championships in Opelika, Ala. Considering that the program was in only its third year, it was an amazing accomplishment. Entering the tournament with its highest ranking ever at No. 14, UNLV finished 21st overall. Oh, playing in what would be her final tournament as a Rebel, finished in a tie for 21st.

All-American Girl: For the second consecutive year Oh earned All-America honors, being named to the NGCA All-American Second Team. It capped a strong year by Oh, who won two titles, including the individual title at the Mountain West Conference Championships and was named the MWC golfer of the year.

Oh Turns Pro: The most decorated women's golfer in UNLV history decided to take the next step in her career, as Oh announced in May that she was turning pro. Only a sophomore, Oh set the bar high for UNLV women's golf. A two-time All-American, Oh won three times in her career, including the 2004 Mountain West Conference title.