Legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus says golf is 90 percent mental. That’s why University of Iowa head women's golf coach Megan Menzel has the Hawkeyes continually focus on their mental toughness.

"We always talk about having a positive attitude, not only at workouts, but at practice and walking around campus every day," says Menzel, who took over as Iowa's head coach last August. "We've seen some huge strides, and that's opened up great conversations for us in how we approach a tournament from our game plan and how we're going to execute that."

Junior Kristi Cardwell says her coach's upbeat attitude has assisted in the team's growth.

"She's very positive in herself and she brings that to us," says Cardwell. "We always have little checkpoints on how the mental side of our game is going, and if we need help with anything, she's always there for us."

Menzel has seen the team grow collectively since the fall season, which has led to some early success this spring. Iowa finished tied for second at the Claud Jacobs Challenge presented by SCOR golf in the spring opener before tying for fifth at the Westbrook Spring Invitational on Feb. 26 and 27.

During the Westbrook Spring Invitational in Peoria, Ariz., the Hawkeyes finished with three sub-300 rounds en route to posting the Iowa 54-hole school record of 879 (290-294-295).

Cardwell says taking down the record is big for the team as the season moves forward.

"It is a big confidence booster for this team," she says. "But we'd like to go out and attack it even more and beat the record again."

Menzel has seen the team change the way it is carrying itself.

"The girls have a strong belief in themselves individually and as a team," she says. "A little bit of success can trigger that."