GolfChannel.com previews the 2019 spring season in women’s college golf, from teams and players to watch to picks to win. Here we dive into the ACC:
ACC
Championship info: April 18-20, Sedgefield Country Club, Greensboro, N.C.
Recent champions: Duke (2018), Duke (2017), Virginia (2016), Virginia (2015), Duke (2014)
Team rankings: Duke (4), Wake Forest (14), Virginia (16), Florida State (20), Clemson (23), Miami (27), Louisville (28), North Carolina (32), North Carolina State (45), Virginia Tech (59), Notre Dame (72), Boston College (108)
Midseason All-Conference Team: Frida Kinhult, Fr., Florida State (14); Jaravee Boonchant, Soph., Duke (21); Emilia Migliaccio, Soph., Wake Forest (23); Virginia Elena Carta, Sr., Duke (28); Ivy Shepherd, Fr., Clemson (43)
What to watch: Duke is adjusting well to life without Leona Maguire. Sophomore Jaravee Boonchant was the Blue Devils’ top player, rankings-wise, this fall, while freshman Gina Kim and senior Virginia Elena Carta, the 2016 NCAA individual champion, each won tournaments. Junior Ana Belac added two top 5s and sophomore Miranda Wang battled through a knee injury to play 12 rounds during the fall. Duke won its final two fall events. … Wake Forest is enjoying having a full roster after being shorthanded for much of the past two seasons. Senior Jennifer Kupcho is the Deacons’ leader, but it was actually sophomore Emilia Migliaccio who had the better fall with a win and 70.7 scoring average. … Virginia started the fall by winning the Mary Fossum but closed it with a ninth-place finish at the Battle of the Beach. … Frida Kinhult really shined in her first semester at Florida State, posting a 68.82 scoring average and four top 10s, including a win. … Clemson is a dark horse, finishing the fall as a top-25 team despite having five freshmen on its seven-player roster. … Miami will have to replace Dewi Weber, who is turning pro, but the Hurricanes did add freshman Anna Backman, who signed this spring out of Finland.
Pick to win: Duke