Wildcats’ Season Ends in Scottsdale at NCAA Championships

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Arizona Women’s Golf ended their season among the top 10 teams in the nation after missing the cut to advance to match play at the NCAA Championships by three strokes. Arizona finished its four-day run at Grayhawk Golf Club tied with New Mexico for ninth place at 11-over par. Freshman Nena Wongthanavimok capped a tremendous week in Scottsdale by shooting 1-under par on Monday to finish tied for seventh out of the championship field of over 150 players.

“I am so proud of this team and how they fought until the very end,” said head coach Laura Ianello. “This is a group of resilient and determined young women who overcame the challenges of the season to play their best golf at the end of the year. We grew so much from the beginning of the season and were able to experience the standard of excellence of playing in May. To end our season in Scottsdale as one of the top 10 teams in the nation says a lot about each and every one of these ladies, and it also speaks to the bright future of this program.”

Wongthanavimok’s highlight week at the NCAA Championships included three rounds below par as she became the third Arizona freshman to finish in the top 10 at the national championships in the last 20 seasons, joining Haley Moore in 2016 and Erica Blasberg in 2003.

Arizona extended its week in Scottsdale to four days by dominating the course’s shortest holes, finishing the week third in par-3 scoring. Senior Gile Bite Starkute led the Wildcats in par-3 scoring at 4-under, which put her in a three-way tie for first among all players.

The Wildcats’ trip to the NCAA Championships was their ninth in 12 seasons under head coach Laura Ianello. Their ticket to Scottsdale was punched by winning the sixth NCAA Regional championship in program history last week in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Head coach Laura Ianello‘s lineup at Grayhawk this week was composed of one senior, two sophomores and two freshmen as Starkute was the only member with previous NCAA Championship experience. After earning her degree in Finance earlier this month from the Eller College of Management, Starkute announced that she will return for a fifth season in 2023-24 while pursuing a master’s degree.