The Minot State University women's golf team has arrived.
Now the next step for the Beavers is to continue to progress.
That might be a tall task with recent weather conditions making outdoor golfing an impossibility.
The Beavers open the spring portion of its 2010-11 season today at the South Dakota Mines Invite in Rapid City, S.D.
MSU won the Dakota Athletic Confer-ence last season and qualified for the NAIA National Tournament.
"I think that anybody that looks at the Minot State University team (would say we've come a long way)," MSU head coach Chipper Farrell said. "When I came here five years ago, we had no team. In four years, we made it to a national tournament. We're only going to get better. We're in good position to return to the national tournament if we can get some tournaments in."
The Beavers will have to get sharp quick. They are scheduled to play the the Dickinson State Invite and the Black Hills (S.D.) Invite before the conclusion of their season in the next two weeks.
With that season being so short, MSU players will have to continue to try to make strides in the offseason.
"We need to get them playing in the summer," Farrell said. "During the time here, it's tough for us to do much. They have to develop their golf swing and be ready to play when they get here. We get them ready to play competitive golf."
The Beavers are still a young team, with junior Ali Hilkewich claiming the title of most experienced collegiate player now that standout Whitney Stanley has graduated.
"We were really happy with how last year ended up finishing first in the conference," she said. "Losing just one player and adding some strong players should really help."
Sophomore Kara Dietz from Hazen and freshman and former Minot High standout Mackenzie Nagel figure to make an impact on the Beavers as well.
But weather has made it tough play well this spring. MSU made it to Rapid City early to get in a few practice rounds in the hope of hitting the ground running.
"We've been hitting in the dome as a team," Hilkewich said. "We've hit outside in a field, but it will be nice to get a few practice rounds in."
Farrell said confidence is a big part of playing well with not much for practice.
"Some of them have played Meadowbrook," Farrell said. "They know where they need to be and where they can't be. You need to have a game plan, just like the big boys playing at the Masters this week."