Previewing the DI Championship

UCLA Bruins

Noting UCLA: The defending NCAA team champion, the Bruins are trying to win their fourth title and become the first team since Duke in 2007 to successfully repeat. The Bruins are led by 2012 Curtis Cup team member Tiffany Lua, 2011 U.S. Women’s Public Links champion Brianna Do, and freshman Erynne Lee, ranked No. 5 nationally by Golfweek. The Bruins have finished first in seven of 11 starts this season, including a win in the Mason Rudolph Fall Preview at the Legends Club and a tie for first with LSU in the NCAA West Regional after a fourth-place finish in the Pac-12 Championships.

Alabama Crimson Tide

Noting Alabama: Ranked second in all the major polls, the Crimson Tide is making just its seventh appearance in the NCAA Championships, including a tie for eighth last season. Alabama has won eight tournaments the last two seasons, and finished second here in the Mason Rudolph Fall Preview to UCLA. The Crimson Tide is led by 2012 Curtis Cup team member Brooke Pancake and two other players ranked in the Golfweek/Sagarin Top 10: Stephanie Meadow and Jennifer Kirby.

USC Trojans

Noting USC: The Trojans are aiming for their third team title and first since 2008 with a strong team led by returning All-Americans Lisa McCloskey (also on the Curtis Cup team) and Sophia Popov and 2012 Pac-12 champion Doris Chen. The Trojans come in on a strong roll, having finished first or second in four of their last five events including a win in the NCAA Central Regional (McCloskey tied for first individually as well).

Arizona State Sun Devils

Noting Arizona State: No team has made more appearances in the NCAA Championships (30) or won more team titles (seven, most recently in 2009) than the Sun Devils. Arizona State hasn’t won as a team this season, but the Sun Devils have finished in the top three five times, including at tie for third in the Mason Rudolph Fall Preview. The Sun Devils are led by senior Giulia Molinaro, who won the team’s only individual title in the season-opening Dale McNamara Invitational and has seven top 10s, including a tie for second in the Pac-12 Championships.

LSU Tigers

Noting LSU: The Lady Tigers rebounded from a struggling showing at the SEC Championships where they tied for seventh to tie UCLA for first place in the NCAA West Regional earlier this month. Led by defending NCAA individual champion Austin Ernst, the Lady Tigers are also coming off a school-best third-place finish in last year’s team competition. LSU won two other team titles, taking the Tar Heel Invitational in October and the Lady Puerto Rico Classic in February.