by Steven Fernandez
Daily Lobo
There are some striking similarities between Mikaela Backstedt and Jodi Ewart.
For the UNM women's golf team, that's a good thing.
Backstedt enjoyed success as a freshman last year with eight top-10 finishes in 10 tournaments and a first-team All-Mountain West Conference honor.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Meanwhile, Ewart has been the Lobos' highest finisher in the last three tournaments, including consecutive top-10 finishes.
Backstedt said Ewart's solid play as a freshman reminds her of her first year as a Lobo.
"It's so similar," she said. "You come here and just play. You don't think, and it's so easy. It's fun to see that."
Ewart has made it look easy in her first collegiate season. She has led the Lobos in scoring in six of their seven tournaments this year, including a fifth-place finish at the UNLV Spring Invitational on March 14.
Ewart said she wasn't sure how she would perform at the collegiate level but is enjoying the way things are going early on.
"I didn't expect to quite get the results that I had," she said. "I just thought I'd come in and shoot decent scores and have an average season, but I'm really pleased."
While Backstedt had an outstanding freshman season last year, including being named MWC co-Freshman of the Year, she has struggled at times this season. She was disqualified in February's Wildcat Invitational. In the UCF Invitational in early March, she shot an 80 in the final round and finished tied for 36th.
Since then, however, Backstedt has started to find the swing that made her one of the MWC's best players last year, finishing 15th at last weekend's PING/ASU Invitational.
Backstedt said there isn't any pressure playing as a freshman, but dealing with expectations in her second season made this year a little tougher.
UNM head coach Jackie Booth said Backstedt went through a little bit of a sophomore slump, which will only make her a stronger player.
"Mikaela was working through some swing adjustments the first semester and a little bit of confidence problems," she said. "That's how you improve, though. Sometimes you have to go through a quiet period or a down slope to get back up where you need to be."
In addition to having stellar first seasons, Backstedt and Ewart had to adjust to living in Albuquerque after moving from overseas.
Backstedt came to UNM from Hollviken, Sweden, while Ewart is a native of Middleham, England.
Ewart said Backstedt and her other teammates and coaches have helped her get used to living in New Mexico.
"Everything about the University - the practice facilities, the golf course, the coaching and the team, as well," she said. "It was weird at first, getting used to the culture, but I like it a lot."
While the two said they are close friends, that doesn't mean they aren't competing to be No. 1 on the team.
Backstedt said Ewart's impressive play as a freshman pushes her to play better.
"It's very inspiring," she said. "I want to beat her, too, because we want to be the best. It's perfect to be tight like that."
Booth said the players' relationship and competitive nature can do nothing but produce positive results during the rest of their time at UNM.
"It's a healthy competition between them," she said. "They're good friends, and they want each other to do well. They're both very stubborn. They both want it, and it's not about the glamour; it's just that they both want to
be No. 1."
Women's golf at MWC Championships
April 19, all day
Saint George, Utah
