The Wolfpacker

24 ■ THE WOLFPACKER TRACKING THE PACK NC State senior golfer Brittany March- and hopes history repeats itself this month. Two years ago, Marchand finished 18th at the NCAA Central Regional, and then tied for sixth at the NCAA Champion- ships with a score of 2-over-par 290 en route to All-America honors. This season, she heads into the NCAA Regionals May 8-10 with an average of 73.8 shots per 18 holes for the Wolfpack in nine tournaments between the fall and spring. Marchand tied for fifth individu- ally with a 7-over-par 220 to lead third- place NC State at the ACC Champion- ships April 17-19 in Greensboro, N.C. The engineering major plans to gradu- ate in May 2015. She has competed in 42 career tournaments at NC State, with three first-place finishes and 12 top-10 outings. Marchand also participated in the 2011 U.S. Women's Open, finishing with 148 shots in two rounds. The Orangeville, Ontario, native re- cently took some time to catch up with The Wolfpacker. How was the ACC Tournament? "It was a good tournament. We kind of struggled the first day and were in a bad position. We knew it was just one day and we had two more days. We pulled together and played well the last two days. "It was more like what we wanted to be this semes - ter. We were one shot short of second, and last year we were second. We were happy with our finish from where we started." What did you think of tying for fifth place at the ACC Tournament? "It was good. I obviously had the goal going in of winning the tournament. After the first round, I still had the goal of getting in the first five. I played well the last two days, but didn't have the greatest finish the last day. "I wish I had finished a little better, but I was proud of how I played. I feel like my game is in a good spot for regionals." Any thoughts on how the end of your college career is approaching and plans for the future? "It's crazy that the last time is coming. My roommate and I were talking how we couldn't believe it was our last ACC Tournament. It's always a strange feeling, but it's exciting and we want to end well. "I'm in engineering and I didn't want to stress myself out in the four years playing golf. Next year I'll be here and just helping out the coaches as a student assistant, while finishing out my degree. "I hope I'll be able to use my engineering degree, honestly, one day. I'd love to turn pro and make mil - lions, and that would be great. If golf doesn't work out, I'd still like to stay in the area of golf. The ultimate goal is to play professional golf. I love my major, but a lot of people think I'm crazy." Did playing in the U.S. Women's Open and as - sorted events in Canada make it easier to han- dle the pressure of college golf tournaments? "Yeah, definitely. The experience helps a lot. When it comes down to playing the last holes, and you are really close to making it in, I know I've gone through that." What parts of your game have been going well this season? "I've worked a lot with my coach on my mental game. My technique, short game and long game have come a long ways in general the last four years. I'm feeling really confident in my swing and confident in my putting and chipping. "The difference between finishing fifth and finishing first is my attitude and mental game. I'm playing more mentally consistent, and that has been a huge differ - ence for me." Who inspires you? "My grandpa is my No. 1 inspiration. He is the one that got me into golf. He was a super athlete when he was younger. Right before golf, I was into figure skating. He got me into golf and made me love it. "I wouldn't be playing golf if wasn't for my grandpa." — Jacey Zembal Marchand has competed in 42 career tournaments at NC State, with three first-place finishes and 12 top-10 outings. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS Getting To Know: Brittany Marchand ■ Women's Golf Quick Questions Do you have a favorite driver in the golf bag? Titleist. I've only had Titleist, and golf balls too. What is your average distance off the tee? Between 240 and 250 yards. Any superstitions? I'm not really a supersti - tious person, but my ball marking has to match my outfit. I basically always mark my ball red because I only wear red. Do you have a favorite golfer? On the girls' side, I like Loreno Ochoa. For the men, it's really random, but I really love Ernie Els. Who is your favorite athlete to watch at NC State that isn't a teammate? T.J. Warren from the basketball team. He's pretty good. I'm still learning about basketball and football. I watched "Survive and Advance" the other day and I cried. That was awesome. Do you have a favorite hockey player in hockey-mad Canada? Everyone thinks I love hockey, and my brother played it. I do have a distant relative, Brad Marchand, who is with the Boston Bruins. He's my favorite, but I don't fol - low hockey. Who would you like to see in concert? Coldplay. Do you have a favorite class at NC State? Thermodynamics. Have you hit a hole in one? I hit a hole in one back home when I was 15 in a tournament in Canada. It was 125 yards, and I actually chunked it and was kind of upset. I slammed the club and I couldn't see the hole because of the high bun- ker lip. My mom started screaming. I was fighting with my caddy, who was my grandpa, because he wanted me to hit an eight iron. I wanted a nine. What should tourists do in the Toronto area? Go to the CN Tower or go to Niagara Falls on the Canadian side. 14,16,18,20,22,24.TTP.indd 24 4/29/14 3:45 PM

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