New beginnings offer both uncertainty and opportunity as fresh faces learn to move as one.

The same can be said for the Bruins, who enter the season with a roster where newcomers almost outnumber returners.

UCLA women’s golf will compete in the Windy City Collegiate Classic in Golf, Illinois, on Monday and Tuesday. The 13-team field will offer the young team another opportunity to build cohesion and identity early on.

Four members of last season’s squad graduated, and Francesca Fiorellini was the sole outgoing transfer. UCLA brings in sophomore transfer Jenny Lee from Baylor and a trio of freshmen – Kacey Ly, Zoe Sprecher and GaEun Athena Yoo – this fall.

“I am excited by the new blood we have on the team,” said senior Meghan Royal. “They’re ambitious, they’re motivated, they want to win, they’re hungry, and I love that”

The Bruins’ lineup will feature sophomore Angela Liu, Lee, Royal, sophomore Maye Huang and Ly after a qualifying round last week. Athletes will begin the 54-hole tournament with two rounds Monday before Tuesday’s final round.

Coach Alicia Um Holmes recorded her first win as head honcho at the 2023 Windy City Collegiate Classic with a score of 32-under 838. The squad tied for eighth, notching a 35-over 899 last season.

“We’re really focusing on growth and awareness – what are you doing on the course and in practice to prepare?” Um Holmes said. “Are your daily actions in alignment with what you want to do during competition? Going into Chicago, I’m hoping to see that focus at the forefront and have them execute on those rather than just looking at the score.”

The squad kicked their season off overseas at the Pan Pacific University Golf Super League Tournament in Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan. UCLA finished in second place with a 2-under 566, competing against several international universities.

The Bruins were led by Huang, who tied for first with a score of 5-under. Liu finished at even par, securing 11th place. The final round was canceled due to a monsoon.

“All in all, our spirits were very high,” Um Holmes said. “We felt like we played well. We stuck to our goals that we had for each individual player.”

The trip helped the fresh squad get to know each other better off the course.

Between navigating public transportation and unwinding with television in the hotel at night, the team built valuable connections off the course.

“The Japan trip was a really good team bonding experience,” Liu said. “We’re getting along pretty well. We’re a pretty lively team.”

The group remains committed to building chemistry back in America. Liu, Huang and Royal, who are roommates, have facilitated team dinners and bonding activities.

The Bruins aren’t just a new squad – they’re a young one too, with only a pair of upperclassmen on the roster. Royal has stepped into a newfound leadership role this fall as the lone senior.

“I just want to be there for anyone who needs help,” Royal said. “When it comes to the non-golf stuff, I’m here for moral and emotional support if they need it. And when it comes to golf, just leading by example and trying to be more positive and motivational.”

Their next test offers the opportunity to claim a win on familiar ground, facing off against a field dominated by collegiate programs.

The event marks UCLA’s first opportunity to compete for a win in the United States against a primarily collegiate field.