NCAA women’s golf preseason rankings: Top teams, players for 2026-27

Death, taxes and Stanford ranked No. 1 in women’s college golf.

We know how fickle match play can be as an NCAA champion decider, but will the Cardinal at least dominate the season up until that point? It’s certainly possible, maybe even likely, though the gap has arguably shrunk.

USC, Texas and Arkansas all possess strong teams heading into the fall, while Texas A&M should be considered in that upper echelon despite not getting out of regionals last season.

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine ranks his top 30 teams, projects this year’s All-Americans and top freshmen, highlights the best tournaments on the schedule and provides in-depth analysis heading into the 2026-27 season:

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1. Stanford

• Final 2025-26 rank: 1
• 2026 NCAA Championship finish: Won (1st in stroke play)
• Returning: Paula Martin Sampedro (Sr.), Andrea Revuelta (Jr.), Meja Ortengren (Jr.), Anna Song (Soph.), Nora Sundberg (Jr.), Leigh Chien (Jr.), Kaila Elsayegh (Soph.)
• Departed: Megha Ganne, Kelly Xu
• Arriving: Nikki Oh (Fr.), Jude Lee (Fr.)
• Projected starting lineup: Sampedro, Revuelta, Ortengren, Song, Oh

Scouting report: How do you follow what was arguably the best NCAA team of all-time? Returning three of the top-6 amateurs in the world is a start. Ganne, last year’s NCAA runner-up, and Xu were massive leaders for the Cardinal, so that will be felt. But as far as scores – Sampedro, Revuelta and Ortengren combined for five wins among 19 top-10s last season – there is more than enough firepower to keep Stanford atop the sport. Sampedro is coming off low-amateur honors at the AIG Women’s Open for the second straight summer while Revuelta was runner-up at the Women’s British Amateur and Ortengren was second at the European Ladies. Behind the Big 3, head coach Anne Walker will have more uncertainty than she’s used to. Song saw the most action of the returners with six tournaments and posted three top-16s. Sundberg was once ranked as high as 35th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, though she will finally have opportunity to grab a full-time role. The two freshmen will have their say as well, with Oh make the semifinals of the SCGA Women’s Amateur this summer and Lee making match play at both the U.S. Women’s Amateur and U.S. Girls’ Junior. Stanford has won each of the past six stroke-play portions of the NCAA Championship, though seven in a row isn’t a guarantee.

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2. USC

• Final 2025-26 rank: 2
• 2026 NCAA Championship finish: Runner-up (second in stroke play)
• Returning: Jasmine Koo (Jr.), Bailey Shoemaker (Sr.), Elise Lee (Jr.), Kylie Chong (Jr.), Sarah Hammett (Soph.), Chloe Kim (Soph.)
• Departed: Catherine Park
• Arriving: Kaili Xiao (Fr.), Angela Zhang (Fr.), Sophia Lin (Fr.)
• Projected starting lineup: Koo, Shoemaker, Lee, Chong, Xiao

Scouting report: The Trojans might not be over last year’s loss to Stanford in the NCAA final, but as head coach Justin Silverstein said, “If we need extra motivation, we’re failing them.” Added Silverstein: “It didn’t go our way, but we were in a very good position for things to go our way, and it just didn’t happen. We lost to what a lot of people consider to be the best team of all-time, and I wouldn’t even argue that.” One could also argue that USC, despite losing the heart of its roster in Park, has closed the gap on the top-ranked Cardinal. Koo plans to go to Q-School this fall to get Epson status, but she’s committed for one more full season. She’s already won a program-record eight times, and the goal this season is to raise her floor, which has been shockingly low for a player and putter of her caliber. Shoemaker posted seven top-12s last spring in her return from major arm surgery, and after a nice summer that included a Round of 16 showing at the U.S. Women’s Amateur, Shoemaker is excited to enter her last season fully healthy. Lee and Chong continue to be workhorses; Lee picked up about 7 mph in swing speed this summer while Chong is coming off a sophomore year that featured two wins. Hammett was lost in the shuffle as a freshman, and she might again get pushed for playing time. Xiao is a tall lefty who hits it far and high, much like former Trojan Gabi Ruffels, and could be a surprise All-American. Zhang is a U.S. National Development Program product, though she’s struggled with the driver, and Lin might need a season or two to develop into a consistent starter.

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3. Texas

• Final 2025-26 rank: 3
• 2026 NCAA Championship finish: Quarterfinalist (T-3 in stroke play)
• Returning: Farah O’Keefe (Sr.), Lauren Kim (Sr.), Selina Liao (Sr.), Vivian Lu (Sr.), Shyla Brown (Fr.)
• Departed: Cindy Hsu, Angela Heo, Alisa Inprasit, Emma von Hoffmann
• Arriving: Charlotte Naughton (Fr.), Amy Lee (Fr.), Isla McDonald-O’Brien (Jr.; transferred from Arizona State), Anastasia Hekkonen (Jr.; transferred from Kentucky)
• Projected starting lineup: O’Keefe, Kim, Naughton, McDonald-O’Brien, Hekkonen

Scouting report: Losing Hsu and to a lesser extent Heo leaves a void in the starting lineup, but head coach Laura Ianello has done more than fill it. Initially Lee, who qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open and made match play at the U.S. Girls’ Junior, was going to be the only incoming freshman, but then Alabama made a coaching change and the Longhorns swooped in to sign Naughton, who won the European Ladies this summer. The two transfers could start right away; McDonald-O’Brien made match play at both the Women’s British and U.S. Women’s amateurs while Hekkonen was Kentucky’s second-best player before abruptly leaving the team before NCAA regionals. There’s a scenario where at least three of those four see more action than incumbent starter Liao. Lu remains the ultimate wild card as she’s still yet to see the form with Texas that she showcased with Washington. No matter how things shake out in Nos. 3-5, the top two lineup spots are solidified with All-Americans O’Keefe and Kim. Kim had eight top-12s last season after coming into the fall battling a wrist issue. She played a ton this summer, including two majors, with the highlight coming at the Canadian Women’s Amateur, where she was runner-up. O’Keefe is amidst an all-timer of the year. She won four times last spring, including the NCAA individual title, while twice earning low-amateur honors in majors, reaching the semifinals of the Women’s British Amateur and going 5-0 at the Curtis Cup. She is five wins away from tying the Texas record for career victories. With five NCAA match-play trips since 2019 and no wins, the Longhorns are arguably as equipped to make the Final Fore as they’ve ever been.

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4. Texas A&M

• Final 2025-26 rank: 6
• 2026 NCAA Championship finish: 22nd
• Returning: Vanessa Borovilos (Jr.), Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio (Sr.), Natalie Yen (Soph.), Brynn Kort (Soph.), Louise Reau (Sr.), Sky Sudberry (Sr.), Mia Nixon (Sr.), Avery Zweig (Soph.)
• Departed: Kynadie Adams
• Arriving: None
• Projected starting lineup: Borovilos, Fernandez Garcia-Poggio, Yen, Kort, Reau
  

Scouting report: Head coach Gerrod Chadwell says emphatically that this year’s team has the most depth of any previous team he’s coached. The top six players from last year’s sixth-ranked team return, granted there is still much to prove considering the Aggies fell flat with a 22nd-place finish at La Costa. Chadwell’s teams have still been to two NCAA semifinals and a quarterfinals going into his sixth season in College Station, and a fourth match-play trip is very much in the cards thanks not just to the depth but the one-two punch of top-30 amateurs Borovilos and Fernadez Garcia-Poggio, who combined for three wins among 18 top-12s last season. Fernandez Garcia-Poggio reached the quarterfinals of the Women’s British Amateur this summer while Borovilos got into match play there and at the Honors Course. After that, it’s anyone’s guess. Yen and Kort showed some flashes as freshmen, but neither were very consistent; same for Sudberry, who also was in the NCAA starting lineup. Georgia Southern transfer Reau didn’t post a top-20 in just five starts in her first season with the Aggies, though her summer included a win at the Golfweek Hoosier Amateur. Chadwell is lucky, though, if any of the above players struggled, he’s got a new pair of freshmen to slot in, including Singh, who reached the semifinals of the U.S. Girls’ Junior this summer.

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5. Arkansas

• Final 2025-26 rank: 5
• 2026 NCAA Championship finish: Semifinalist (T-3 in stroke play)
• Returning: Maria Jose Marin (Sr.), Sara Brentcheneff (Soph.), Abbey Schutte (Sr.), Natalie Blonien (Jr.), Sofia Cherif Essakali (Soph.), Swetha Sathish (Soph.)
• Departed: Reagan Zibilski, Anna Kate Nichols (transferred to Oklahoma), Sayers Allen (transferred to Tulsa)
• Arriving: Ebba Liljeberg (Soph.; transferred from Missouri), Melliyal Schmitt (Fr.)
• Projected starting lineup: Marin, Brentcheneff, Schutte, Liljeberg, Blonien

Scouting report: The Razorbacks took a big step last season by making the NCAA semifinals for the first time, and they aren’t going anywhere as long as Marin is atop the starting lineup. Marin had no letdown after winning the 2025 NCAA individual title, posting 11 top-10s in 12 events (the lone finish outside the top was a T-12 at SECs) and winning the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. An LPGA card via LEAP is a forgone conclusion if she continues this level of play as a senior. Brentcheneff arrived a semester early last spring and immediately worked her way into the starting five, and though she had just one top-10, her T-3 at the European Ladies this summer proves that she’s a potential All-American. Schutte won twice last season and will be a key contributor again, while Blonien is poised to ascend from a match-play specialist into a regular starter after winning the Oklahoma Women’s Amateur this summer and climbing to a career-best No. 275 in the world. Cherif Essakali is a wild card, as she’s undergone extensive swing work over the past year after a growth spurt. The last piece to the puzzle in keeping Arkansas among the nation’s elite is Missouri transfer Liljeberg, who had four top-3s last season and will be expected to fill the void left by Zibilski.

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6. Duke

Final 2025-26 rank: 9
2026 NCAA Championship finish: Quarterfinalist (seventh in stroke play)
Returning: Rianne Malixi (Soph.), Katie Li (Sr.), Avery McCrery (Soph.), Anna Canado Espinal (Jr.), Carla De Troia (Jr.)
Departed: Andie Smith, Martina Yu
Arriving: Mia Hammond (Fr.), Martina Navarro (Fr.)
Projected starting lineup: Malixi, Li, McCrery, Hammond, Canado Espinal

Scouting report: Despite starting last fall with a ninth-place finish at the Annika, Duke rallied to make its first NCAA match play since 2021 and finish the spring ranked ninth in the country. Smith’s leadership will have to be replaced, but every other major contributor is back, including Malixi, who struggled in her first semester only to finish seventh or better in all six of her spring starts. It was a light summer, though Malixi did make the Round of 32 at the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Four other players with at least 24 rounds return as well, including Li, who qualified for three match-play brackets this summer – British, Western and U.S. amateurs. The other three from that group haven’t had the best of summers, which leaves the door open for Hammond, who won an Epson Tour event last year, to assert herself in the starting lineup.

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7. Wake Forest

• Final 2025-26 rank: 8
• 2026 NCAA Championship finish: 23rd
• Returning: Chloe Kovelesky (Jr.), Macy Pate (Sr.), Sarah Lydic (Jr.), Cartoon Rujiranan (Soph.), Ella Yokota (Soph.)
• Departed: Anne-Sterre den Dunnen, Morgan Ketchum, Casey Weidenfeld
• Arriving: Benedicte Brent-Petersen (Fr.), Vidhi Lakhawala (Fr.), Havanna Torstensson (Fr.)
• Projected starting lineup: Kovelesky, Pate, Brent-Petersen, Lakhawala, Torstensson

Scouting report: Wake showed glimpses of great golf by winning each of its first two fall events and the NCAA Tallahassee Regional, but a 23rd at the NCAA Championship showed the Demon Deacons weren’t quite at the level of what their No. 8 national ranking suggested. There are some scores to replace, most notably Ketchum, who tied for first at regionals. But Palmer Cuppers Kovelesky and Pate return as mainstays. Kovelesky arguably has more firepower – and her four top-3s last season all came in big events – though with four finishes outside the top 50 last season, that inconsistency needs to be solved if Wake wants to be a legit NCAA title contender. Pate is steadier but has won just once in college. Lydic and Rujiranan had nice summers – Lydic won two smaller tournaments while Rujiranan, who so far has been a better qualifier than tournament player at Wake, performed well in some Thai pro events – but it would not be a huge surprise if the Demon Deacons start three freshmen at times. Brent-Petersen enters college as the 92nd-ranked amateur in the world, though Lakhawala might have more momentum, winning both the Nelly Invitational and New Jersey Junior this summer. And then there’s the Swede Torstensson, who won the European Nations Cup this summer. Even if one of the freshmen takes a while to find their footing, Amelie Zalsman, the 29th-ranked amateur in the world, is expected in the spring, which would instantly boost Wake’s title odds.

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8. Florida State

• Final 2025-26 rank: 24
• 2026 NCAA Championship finish: 19th
• Returning: Sophia Fullbrook (Jr.), Haruhi Nakatini (Soph.), Elin Pudas Remler (Jr.), Alexandra Gazzoli (Jr.), Layla Pedrique (Jr.), Freya Russell (Jr.), Haley Davis (Soph.)
• Departed: Madison Hewlett
• Arriving: Louise Landgraf (Fr.), Kayla Bryant (Fr.)
• Projected starting lineup: Fullbrook, Landgraf, Nakatini, Bryant, Remler

Scouting report: Replacing Lottie Woad and Mirabel Ting was, as expected, an impossible task, though the Seminoles still overachieved, finishing runner-up at the Darius Rucker and then qualifying for the NCAA Championship, the 10th straight year they’ve done so. While they pushed too hard and got overwhelmed at La Costa, the Seminoles learned a ton and remain a senior-less squad. Fullbrook is the clear-cut No. 1 after three wins last spring, including the NCAA Tallahassee Regional, and both freshmen could actually occupy the next two spots in the starting five. Landgraf, who is from Thailand, won the Irish Women’s Open earlier this year and is a polished ball-striker already. Bryant stands just over 5 feet, but like former Seminole Amanda Doherty, she’s a bulldog. Nakatani had four top-10s as a freshman and should play most times out as a sophomore. There are many options after that. Remler has the highest ceiling, evidence by her runner-up to Farah O’Keefe at the Darius Rucker, but her T-144 at nationals shows she needs to build more confidence in her game. Gazzoli has gained a ton of experience the past two season, though the ultra-aggressive player is still learning when to dial it back. Even if Gazzoli doesn’t make the postseason lineup, she’s a skilled match-play player and could make a nice sixth player for nationals. Most teams would give for Florida State’s Nos. 7-9, and head coach Amy Bond will likely do lots of qualifying, which is something she did more of last year than ever.

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9. Auburn

• Final 2025-26 rank: 7
• 2026 NCAA Championship finish: 21st
• Returning: Anna Davis (Sr.), Balma Davalos (Jr.), Molly Brown Davidson (Jr.), Charlotte Cantonis (Soph.), Anne Fernandez (Jr.), Frances Brown (Soph.), Kate Barber (Soph.)
• Departed: Katie Cranston, Carys Worby, Rachel Gourley, Elle Squires
• Arriving: Gia Raad (Fr.), Zara Anand (Fr.), Kallyn Black (Fr.)
• Projected starting lineup: Davis, Davalos, Davidson, Cantonis, Fernandez

Scouting report: The Tigers won six times last season, including the NCAA Simpsonville Regional, before finishing a disappointing 21st at La Costa. On six occasions, Auburn had a player in the top 2, but at nationals, no one finished better than T-51. Davis won three times but also finished outside the top 15 six times, including a T-83 at nationals. This summer she made match play at both the British and U.S. amateurs, though she needs to develop into a top-10 machine – her wins were only top-10s last season – if Auburn wants to be considered among the country’s best. It will help to have a healthy Davalos back; she had three top-4s in the fall but didn’t play most of the spring because of injury, only returning for two rounds at the NCAA Championship. Davidson was a nice surprise after transferring from Alabama, as was Cantonis, who led the Tigers with five top-10s. Fernandez saw more action last season than expected with Davalos’ injury and a struggling Cranston, who has since graduated. That’s probably Auburn’s ideal starting five, but with three freshmen all ranked 612th or better, including Raad and Anand inside the top 300, Melissa Luellen has plenty of options as Auburn eyes a fifth NCAA match-play appearance since 2019.

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10. South Carolina

• Final 2025-26 rank: 25
• 2026 NCAA Championship finish: DNQ
• Returning: Eila Galitsky (Jr.), Vairana Heck (Sr.), Maylis Lamoure (Sr.), Molly McLean (Soph.), Alicia Olsson (Sr.), Camila Burnett (Sr.)
• Departed: Mia Sandtorv Lussand, Laura Nepper (transferred to South Florida)
• Arriving: Amelia Harris (Fr.), Yana Beeli (Fr.), Nicole Koong (Jr.; transferred from Cal Poly)
• Projected starting lineup: Galitsky, Heck, Harris, Lamoure, McLean

Scouting report: Head coach Kalen Anderson calls what happened last season, when the Gamecocks finished below .500 and missed out on qualifying for an NCAA regional despite being a top-25 team in the country, an “anomaly.” Anderson adds, “We’re not too focused on it, and we just want to get back to playing; we’re just not going to let it happen again. It’s a new year. You can feel that the energy is different.” Galitsky went five straight tournaments without a top-20 last spring, though she has spent the summer training – she picked up rock climbing – and working with a sports psych. She only played one summer event, tying for ninth at a pro tournament in Thailand, but all indications are she’s back in top form. Heck, Lamoure and McLean, who broke out last season as a freshman, should get a lot of starts, while Olsson, who played sparingly after transferring from Campbell, has improved her putting and short game and could crack the lineup more. Harris isn’t quite as decorated as Galitsky was coming into school, but the Aussie won three straight tournaments back home earlier this year and recently reached the Round of 32 at the U.S. Girls’ Junior, where she opened stroke play in 63.

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Nos. 11-30

11. Oregon: Momentum sure isn’t on the Ducks’ side as they not only missed nationals last May but then lost world No. 1 Kiara Romero to the LPGA and promising sophomore Sophie Han, who also left school early. But don’t underestimate Derek Radley’s ability to reload. Prim Prachnakorn of Thailand could be the best freshman in the country, as could teammate Celina Yeo, while Georgia transfer Trinity Beth is an athlete and has loads of untapped potential. If Catherine Rao, a former standout at Princeton, is healthy and returns to her elite form, Oregon not only can get back to La Costa but return to match play.

12. Florida: The Gators had one of their best seasons in recent memory by placing 11th at nationals and finishing the season ranked fourth in the country. But with Siuue Wu’s surprising decision to turn pro early, that leaves Florida without a clear No. 2 behind Paula Francisco. The positive is that Emily Glaser has a lot of options, so chances are that somebody steps up. Perhaps it’s Florida Women’s Amateur champion Katelyn Huber, or Jessica Guiser, who returns after taking a medical redshirt.

13. Pepperdine: I’m not going to overlook the Waves anymore after two NCAA match-play appearances in the last four years. Sure, Jeneath Wong is a big loss, but Eunseo Choi and Kyle Choi are back as surefire All-Americans. Eunseo Choi spent the summer working with a new swing coach while Kylee Choi won the Women’s Western Amateur. UC Irvine transfer Katelyn Kong, who has played in two straight U.S. Women’s Opens, and freshman Kaya Daluwatte from Sri Lanka bolster what could be another top-8 team by the spring.

14. LSU: Last season’s No. 33 final national ranking was the worst in Garrett Runion’s tenure since his first season in Baton Rouge, although the Tigers still made it to a sixth straight NCAA Championship. Taylor Riley and Elsa Svensson have graduated, but in steps hotshot Aussie freshman Raegan Denton, who was fourth at this year’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur. An expected Rocio Tejedo bounce-back is imperative if LSU wants to be playing Monday at La Costa.

15. Arizona State: No team battled more injuries than the Sun Devils last season before they rallied to finish a respectable 10th at the NCAA Championship. That said, Missy Farr-Kaye has to replace a lot of firepower, including graduates Beth Coulter and Paula Schulz Hanssen as well as Isla McDonald-O’Brien, who transferred to Texas. Patience Rhodes, who missed significant time with a fractured left fibula last spring, is still here, as is Fai Rubrong, who started to settle into college nicely after arriving midseason. Freshman Natalia Aparicio should provide a punch, too.

16. UCLA: Expect the Bruins to mostly run out a starting five with no seniors and topped by freshman Michelle Xing, who made the Round of 16 at both the U.S. Girls’ Junior and U.S. Women’s Amateur this summer. Jen Lee hasn’t had the best of summers, but the top-60 amateur figures to still play a key role for the Bruins, who are trying to get back to the NCAA Championship for the third time in four years.

17. Vanderbilt: Ava Merrill returns after leading the Commodores with a 71.3 scoring average as a junior. Lynn Lim is really the only big loss, while freshman Elizabeth Rudisill, who won the Carolinas Women’s Amateur this summer, is among those expected to play bigger roles. Keep an eye on Olivia Wood, who sat out last spring after transferring from Chattanooga; she’s ranked 386th in WAGR, though is currently projected as the sixth player on Vandy’s roster.

18. Oklahoma State: Everything continues to build off Marta Silchenko, who posted nine top-10s, including two wins, as a junior last season. Four of the next five leading scorers for the Cowgirls are back, too, while the Cowgirls replace the graduated Grace Kilcrease with Tarleton State transfer Louise Depadt, nearly a top-200 amateur. Repeating last season’s NCAA match-play run might be tough to replicate, though.

19. Ole Miss: The Rebels have now been to nationals eight of the past nine seasons, and yet they still haven’t made the 54-hole cut since winning the NCAA title at Grayhawk in 2021. But this might be Kory Henkes’ best team – and certainly deepest – since then, as Mary Miller won the North and South this summer while rocketing up the world rankings and Kajsalotta Svarvar, who matched Miller with five top-10s last season, is another potential All-American. Matilda Bjorkman also had a solid summer, making the quarters of the Women’s British Amateur.

20. Tennessee: The reigning SEC champion got to its second straight NCAA Championship, though failed to stick around for 72 holes. The good news is the Vols bring back one of the best one-two punches in the conference in Kyra Van Kan and Madison Messimer, who combined for 13 top-10s last season. Freshman An Le Chuc should grab a starting spot as well.

21. Miami: This is a completely different-looking Hurricanes team. After sitting out last spring after a midseason transfer from Texas A&M, Scarlett Schremmer had a spectacular summer, winning both the Women’s Southern Amateur and LNGA Amateur, and should pair nicely with Ashleen Kaur atop the lineup. Add in Olivia Gronborg (top-150 amateur who redshirted last year), Barbara Bujakova (now healthy), South Alabama transfer Anna Behnsen and freshman Bella Dovhey, suddenly this lineup looks capable of big things.

22. Virginia: Despite ending up 34th in the national rankings, the Cavaliers advanced to a fifth straight NCAA Championship. Now, they bring back most of their core, including Jaclyn LaHa and Elsie MacCleery, who had a monster summer that included winning the Virginia Women’s Amateur and making match play at the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Freshman Zoe Cusack is already a top-100 amateur in the world.

23. Mississippi State: After losing Julia Lopez Ramirez to the pros midway through the 2024-25 season, the Bulldogs have yet to fully recover, slipping to 22nd in the rankings and snapping a four-year NCAA appearance streak last season. But Avery Weed remains one of the best players in the country, and Samantha Whateley and Ines Belchior have All-America potential. Watch out for transfer Alona Avery, too; she’s the sister of former USC great Amari Avery.

24. UCF: The Knights have consistently been a top-25 team in recent seasons, though they are still trying to get over the hump and make their first NCAA Championship since 2019. Could this be the year? Sandwich Sisutham will be missed, but Big 12 individual champion Mila Jurine is up to 84th in WAGR while Molly Smith has played a ton of rounds for UCF. Freshman Ayana Hiranaka, this summer’s Taiwan Junior Open winner, might be the key.

25. Eastern Michigan: Last May’s Cinderella story, the Eagles can get back the NCAA semifinal, but only if twins Jasmine and Jenae Leovao are approved for fifth years. As of now, they are eligible, though even if they end up not playing, Savannah de Bock and Baiyok Sukterm are good enough to at least lead this team back to La Costa.

26. Baylor: While the Bears aren’t typically among the top 10 teams in the rankings, they’ve still found their way into nine of the past 11 NCAA Championship fields. Three of the top four are back, too, including Malena Castro, who led Baylor with seven top-10s last season.

27. Ohio State: Losing Kary Hollenbaugh won’t be impossible from a score perspective, as the former All-American struggled last spring and wasn’t even in the starting lineup for the Buckeyes’ second straight trip to the NCAA Championship. Freshman Victoria Livieres from Paraguay figures to slot right behind top returners Nellie Ong and Sophie Eppelstun on a young team that has no seniors.

28. North Carolina: Megan Streicher, who counted in all but nine of her 120 career rounds, will be tough to replace, but the Tar Heels have a nice trio of Helen Yeung, Ing Iadpluem and Reagan Southerland, who combined for nine top-10s last season.

29. Arizona: For the first time since 1987, the Wildcats enter the season having failed to qualify for three straight NCAA Championships. And they will have to replace four of the seven players who saw action last season. The big question is the status of top-100 amateur Charlotte Back, who hasn’t competed since ANWA due to injury. Her health is imperative if Arizona wants to get back to nationals. The transfer of Clarisa Temelo from Arkansas will help, while freshmen Nagore Martinez and Olivia Hung will likely be counted on early and often.

30. Kansas: The Jayhawks add potential impact freshmen in England’s Elizabeth Wilson and India’s Lavanya Gupta to a roster that returns four of five starters from last year’s team that finished seventh at regionals. Ebba Nordstedt and Lyla Louderbaugh combined for two wins among six top-5s last season.

Golf Channel’s Preseason Top 30

1. Stanford
2. USC
3. Texas
4. Texas A&M
5. Arkansas
6. Duke
7. Wake Forest
8. Florida State
9. Auburn
10. South Carolina
11. Oregon
12. Florida
13. Pepperdine
14. LSU
15. Arizona State
16. UCLA
17. Vanderbilt
18. Oklahoma State
19. Ole Miss
20. Tennessee
21. Miami
22. Virginia
23. Mississippi State
24. UCF
25. Eastern Michigan
26. Baylor
27. Ohio State
28. North Carolina
29. Arizona
30. Kansas

Next 10: 31. Kentucky, 32. Northwestern, 33. Purdue, 34. Michigan State, 35. North Carolina State, 36. Iowa State, 37. SMU, 38. TCU, 39. Kansas State, 40. Kent State

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Golf Channel’s Preseason All-Americans

FIRST TEAM
1. Paula Martin Sampedro, Sr., Stanford
2. Farah O’Keefe, Sr., Texas
3. Andrea Revuelta, Jr., Stanford
4. Maria Jose Marin, Sr., Arkansas
5. Rianne Malixi, Soph., Duke
6. Jasmine Koo, Jr., USC
7. Meja Ortengren, Jr., Stanford
8. Vanessa Borovilos, Jr., Texas A&M
9. Avery Weed, Sr., Mississippi State
10. Bailey Shoemaker, Sr., USC

SECOND TEAM
11. Anna Davis, Sr., Auburn
12. Marie Madsen, Jr., North Carolina State
13. Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio, Sr., Texas A&M
14. Patience Rhodes, Sr., Arizona State
15. Paula Francisco, Sr., Florida
16. Lauren Kim, Sr., Texas
17. Sophia Fullbrook, Jr., Florida State
18. Chloe Kovelesky, Jr., Wake Forest
19. Eila Galitsky, Jr., South Carolina
20. Eunseo Choi, Jr., Pepperdine

THIRD TEAM
21. Macy Pate, Sr., Wake Forest
22. Elise Lee, Jr., USC
23. Prim Prachnakorn, Fr., Oregon
24. Veronika Kedronova, Kent State
25. Charlotte Naughton, Fr., Texas
26. Sara Brentcheneff, Soph., Arkansas
27. Reagan Denton, Fr., LSU
28. Kylie Chong, Jr., USC
29. Kylee Choi, Soph., Pepperdine
30. Balma Davalos, Jr., Auburn

HONORABLE MENTION
31. Marta Silchenko, Sr., Oklahoma State
32. Louise Landgraf, Fr., Florida State
33. Kajsalotta Svarvar, Jr., Ole Miss
34. Isla McDonald-O’Brien, Jr., Texas
35. Kyra Van Kan, Jr., Tennessee
36. Scarlett Schremmer, Soph., Miami
37. Mary Miller, Jr., Ole Miss
38. Jaclyn Laha, Sr., Virginia
39. Trinity Beth, Soph., Oregon
40. Amelia Harris, Fr., South Carolina

R&A via Getty Images

Golf Channel’s Preseason All-Freshmen teams

FIRST TEAM
Prim Prachnakorn, Oregon
Charlotte Naughton, Texas
Reagan Denton, LSU
Louise Landgraf, Florida State
Amelia Harris, South Carolina

SECOND TEAM
Celina Yeo, Oregon
Benedicte Brent-Petersen, Wake Forest
Michelle Xing, UCLA
Zoe Cusack, Virginia
Kaya Daluwatte, Pepperdine

NCAA Photos via Getty Images

Circled on the calendar

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER

Sept. 7-8: Cougar Classic, Yeamans Hall, Charleston, South Carolina
Sept. 7-9: Folds of Honor Collegiate, American Dunes GC, Grand Haven, Michigan
Sept. 7-9: Annika Intercollegiate, Royal GC, Lake Elmo, Minnesota
Sept. 14-16: Jackson T. Stephens Cup, PGA Frisco (Texas)
Sept. 19-21: Schooner Fall Classic, Belmar GC, Norman, Oklahoma
Sept. 21-22: Canadian Collegiate Invitational, Beacon Hill GC, Aurora, Ontario
Sept. 21-23: Golfweek Red Sky Classic, Red Sky GC (Fazio), Wolcott, Colorado

OCTOBER

Oct. 3-5: Blessings Collegiate Invitational, Blessings GC, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Oct. 5-6: Windy City Collegiate, Lake Shore CC, Golf, Illinois
Oct. 9-11: Evie Odom Invitational, Princess Anne CC, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Oct. 12-23: Haskins Intercollegiate, CC of Columbus (Georgia)
Oct. 12-14: St. Andrews Links Collegiate, St. Andrews (Scotland) Golf Links (Jubilee/Old)
Oct. 16-18: Stanford Intercollegiate, Stanford (California) GC
Oct. 16-18: Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Intercollegiate, UNC Finley GC, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Oct. 19-21: The Finn, Freestone GC, Fairfield, Texas
Oct. 23-25: Landfall Tradition, CC of Landfall (Dye), Wilmington, North Carolina
Oct. 26-28: Nanea Invitational, Nanea GC, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Oct. 26-28: East Lake Cup, East Lake GC, Atlanta

JANUARY/FEBRUARY

Jan. 25-26: San Jose CC, Jacksonville, Florida
Jan. 29-30: Collegiate Invitational, Guadalajara, Mexico
Jan. 31-Feb. 2: Therese Hession Regional Challenge, Palos Verdes (California) CC
Feb. 13-15: Alice and John Wallace Classic, Palm Desert, California
Feb. 14-16: Moon Golf Invitational, Suntree CC, Melbourne, Florida
Feb. 22-23: Bruin Wave Invitational, Valencia (California) CC
Feb. 22-23: UNF Collegiate, Jacksonville (Florida) G&CC
Feb. 22-24: Chevron Collegiate, GC of Houston, Humble, Texas

MARCH

March 1-3: Darius Rucker Intercollegiate, Long Cove Club, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
March 9-10: Juli Inkster Invitational, TPC Harding Park, San Francisco
March 11-14: Nanea Cup, Nanea GC, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
March 13-14: Valspar Augusta Invitational, Forest Hills GC, Augusta, Georgia
March 20-21: Florida State Matchup, Seminole Legacy GC, Tallahassee, Florida
March 21-23: Clemson Invitational, The Reserve at Lake Keowee, Sunset, South Carolina
March 22-23: Charles Schwab Women’s Collegiate, Colonial CC, Fort Worth, Texas

APRIL

April 5-6: Women’s Collegiate Classic, CC of Birmingham (Alabama)
April 15-18: ACC Championship, Sedgefield CC, Greensboro, North Carolina
April 16-20: SEC Championship, Pelican GC, Belleair, Florida
April 21-23: Big 12 Championship, Las Vegas CC
April 23-25: Big Ten Championship, Nemacolin Resort (Mystic Rock), Farmingdale, Pennsylvania

NCAA REGIONALS

May 10-12

Old Barnwell, Aiken, South Carolina
Trinity Forest GC, Dallas
Sycamore Hills GC, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Vanderbilt Legends Club, Franklin, Tennessee
PGA National Resort, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Stanford (California) GC

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 21-26

Omni La Costa Resort and Spa, Carlsbad, California