It has been a long freshman year for Dakota Ochoa. The Chico State golfer began his freshman campaign in the fall of 2019. Because of the COVID years gifted back by the NCAA when the second half of the 2019-20 campaign and all of 2020-21 was canceled, Ochoa won't begin his sophomore season until the fall of 2022. It's been an arduous journey, but the former high school football star, and this week's Wildcat of the Week, appears to be hitting his stride as a collegiate golfer.
 
The 2019 graduate of Liberty High School in Bakersfield posted rounds of 70-70-71 to finish sixth at this week's RJGA Palm Valley Classic at Palm Valley Golf Club in Goodyear, Arizona on Tuesday. This is Ochoa's second top-10 finish in the Wildcats' last three events. He has played under par in six of his past eight rounds, and par or better in eight of his last 10.
 
The last three years, and even his first full collegiate season, appear to given Ochoa an even deeper understanding of the college golf grind.
 
"Long 36-hole days, waiting on every shot. It wears on you if you're not mentally tough," Ochoa offered prior to this season.
 
Those that survive the grind are rewarded with awesome opportunities, such as the ones Ochoa and his Chico State teammates have coming up. They'll play the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship at the acclaimed Yocha Dehe Golf Club next Monday through Wednesday.
 
The NCAA Championship Super Regional follows May 5–7 at Pueblo Country Club in Pueblo, Colorado, with four team berths in the NCAA Championship Finals, set for TPC Michigan, on the line.