The UCF Knights women’s golf team has been one of the most consistent programs on campus. However, most of them failed to make it to the NCAA tournament. This time, in the spring season, which is highly regarded across the country, they have a chance to succeed.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Cavaliers as their 2025-26 spring season begins:
How college golf works
Five golfers from each school compete to compete for the overall team score. While schools may field more than five players in a tournament, if they do so, the additional players must compete as individuals and will not count toward the team’s score.
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A team’s total score is calculated by adding each golfer’s score and subtracting the highest score.
The team with the lowest score after three rounds wins.
last season
No. 9 in Big 12 Tournament; selected to Charlottesville Regional (No. 7)
Last season, the Cavaliers extended their NCAA regional winning streak to eight games, but the season ended there.
After a season in which two players, Pimpisa Sisutham and Molly Smith, were All-Americans, no player earned All-Big 12 honors.
That’s hardly disappointing, as the Cavaliers are still back in the NCAA regionals. However, it does mean that another season with Sisutam and Smith as the core has passed, and the Cavaliers failed to win the NCAA championship for the first time since 2019.
this season
Entering spring ranked No. 12 nationally
The Cavaliers made the most of their fall schedule and secured a top-15 spot in the spring split.
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Smith and Sisutam once again grabbed the headlines, but sophomore Mira Julin also emerged as another threat for the team, earning her first individual title at the Illini Invitational. The effort also helped UCF win the team title in the same event for the first time since October 2023.
who is responsible
Emily Malone – 14th season at UCF
If there was one word to describe Emily Malone, it would be consistent.
Despite the pandemic, she has done a flawless job of sending at least one Cavalier to the NCAA regionals since taking over in 2011. However, she has only won one NCAA women’s golf championship (2019).
Golfers to Watch
Pimpisa “Sandwich” Sisutham
Sandwich finished in the top 20 in all four of UCF’s fall tournaments before finishing 59th entering his final season as the Cavaliers’ top-ranked golfer in the country.
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The two-time all-conference player and 2024 WGCA All-American is also coming off a 2024-25 season in which she had the lowest scoring average on the team and was named to the All-Big 12 Tournament team. Beyond that, however, she didn’t earn any more postseason honors.
Molly Smith
2024 WGCA All-American Molly Smith has been nearly in lockstep with Sisutham this fall, finishing in the top 20 in all four events. However, she entered the spring ranked No. 88 nationally.
Smith, the only American on the Cavaliers’ roster, enters her first season as a senior after not earning honors as a freshman during her sophomore season.
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Mira Jolin
Mila Jurine, a sophomore from the French island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean, is the Cavaliers’ breakout star this fall. Zhulin had two top-10 finishes last season as a freshman and two more top-five finishes this fall, including her first collegiate individual win at the Illini Invitational. She entered the spring ranked No. 100 nationally.
Katie Putz
Of the six UCF golfers who played more than 25 rounds last season, Katie Poots had the highest scoring average on the team at 75.1 and was the only one to leave the team and transfer to Indiana.
Who’s new, that’s good
Jinga Kusmirska
Kinga Kusmierska is from Poland and started her collegiate career by winning the ANNIKA European Invitational Tournament. In a UCF uniform, she finished in the top 20 once in three games in the fall, despite averaging 71.9 points and ranking 298th nationally.
List breakdown
-
6 international players (Japan, France, Thailand, Poland, Taiwan and United Arab Emirates)
|
Name |
Year |
hometown |
2024-25 School |
scoreboard rankings |
Fall 2025 Statistics |
2024-25 Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Jamie Camero |
so. |
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates |
University of Central Florida |
not applicable |
not applicable |
Participated in 6 games. The average score is 74.5. 1 Top 20. |
|
Mira Jolin |
so. |
Reunion Island, France |
University of Central Florida |
#100 |
Participated in 4 games. The average score is 70.3. Two top-5 finishes (including Illini Invitational win) |
Played in 11 games. The average score is 73.5. 2 top 10. 4 top 20. |
|
Kashima One |
Small. |
Tochigi Prefecture, Japan |
University of Central Florida |
Chapter 451 |
Participated in 2 games. The average score is 74.5. |
Played in 11 games. The average score is 74.0. 1 top 10. |
|
Jinga Kusmirska |
Fr. |
Bytom, Poland |
not applicable |
Chapter 298 |
Participated in 3 games. Average score 71.9 (1 place in top 20) |
not applicable |
|
Pimpisa “Sandwich” Sisutham |
gentlemen. |
Bangkok, Thailand |
University of Central Florida |
Chapter 59 |
Participated in 4 games. Average score of 70.2 (top 5 once, top 20 3 times) |
Played in 11 games. The average score is 71.8. 3 in the top 5, 3 in the top 10, and 5 in the top 20. |
|
Molly Smith |
Small. |
westford, massachusetts |
University of Central Florida |
Chapter 88 |
Participated in 4 games. Average score of 70.3 (top 5 once, top 20 3 times) |
Played in 11 games. 72.2 scoring average. 2 top 5. 2 top 10. |
|
Cai Ruoqi |
R-Fr. |
Taoyuan City, Taiwan |
south carolina |
Chapter 273 |
Participated in 4 games. Average score 72.6 (1 place in top 10) |
Redshirt season. |
Timetable breakdown
Spring will once again begin with the Knights’ home tournament, the PDI Intercollegiate Championship at Eagle Creek Golf Club, followed by the Moon Golf Invitational in Melbourne.
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However, the middle portion of the schedule has changed from last season. The Briar Creek Invitational, hosted by the College of Charleston, is back on the schedule after being absent last season.
There are two new games on the schedule, one that takes the Cavaliers to Vegas, just minutes away from the Strip, for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Invitational, and one that takes them closer to home in St. Augustine for the Coach Mo Invitational.
The team will travel to Dallas, Texas for the final two tournaments of the season, first competing at the newly named Huntington Bank Academy at Trinity Forest Golf Club and then competing in the Big 12 Championship at the Dallas Athletic Club.
|
sky |
date |
Contest |
Place |
host |
2024-25 Team Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sunday to Tuesday |
January 25-27 |
UCF Challenge Press. Via PDI |
Orlando, Florida |
University of Central Florida |
T-4 |
|
Sunday to Tuesday |
February 15-17 |
Moon Golf Invitational |
Melbourne, Florida |
Louisville |
No. 9 |
|
Monday to Tuesday |
March 2-3 |
University of Nevada, Las Vegas Invitation |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
University of Nevada, Las Vegas |
– |
|
Saturday to Sunday |
March 16-17 |
Blair Creek Invitational |
Kiawah, South Carolina |
college of charleston |
– |
|
Monday to Tuesday |
March 30-31 |
Coach Mo invites |
St. Augustine, Florida |
Forman |
– |
|
Monday to Tuesday |
April 6-7 |
Huntington School of Banking |
Dallas, Texas |
singapore management university |
fifth place |
|
Thursday to Saturday |
April 23-25 |
Big 12 Championship |
Dallas, Texas |
Big 12 |
No. 9 |
NCAA Tournament
-
Regional date: May 11-13
-
Championship dates: May 22-27
-
Championship location: Omni La Costa Resort, Carlsbad, California
The last time…
UCF wins conference title: 2017. The UCF women’s golf team hasn’t hoisted a conference championship trophy since the days of now UCF Hall of Famer Ashley Holder.
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UCF reaches NCAA Tournament: 2019. This is the second time in the team’s history following the 1996 season that they have advanced to the championship.
quarter century team
first team
|
Name |
Year |
honor |
|---|---|---|
|
Ashley Holder |
2014-2017 |
2-time Golfweek All-American, 4-time All-AAC selection, 3-time AAC Golfer of the Year (2014, 2015, 2017), won 3 individual events, a part of 2 AAC Championships (2015, 2017) and competed in 3 NCAA Regionals (2014, 2015, 2017) |
|
Tamrada Pidhan |
2019-2023 |
3-time All-AAC selection, 2022 AAC Player of the Year, 3 NCAA regional appearances, 4 individual wins and the lowest scoring average in program history. |
|
Stephanie Connelly |
2006-2009 |
He was selected as an All-American three times and won the 2009 NCAA championship as an individual. |
|
Elizabeth Moon |
2018-2020 |
2019 All-AAC and Freshman of the Year, member of the 2019 NCAA championship team |
|
Tanya Arnold |
1999-2001 |
Selected into the All-Ten Years Team of Asuncion. 2 individual wins. Named the 2001 ASUN Player of the Year and 2000 All-ASUN Second Team. |
second team
|
Name |
Year |
honor |
|---|---|---|
|
Caroline Pinge |
2009-2013 |
3x All-Americans (2 third team, 1 second team) |
|
Monifah Seeley |
2011-2015 |
3-time All-Conference selection (3rd place on CUSA team in 2012, 2nd place on CUSA team in 2013, 1st place on AAC team in 2015). 2015 AAC individual champion. |
|
Jesse Baker |
2020-2024 |
2023 All-AAC honoree, 2022 Women’s Amateur Champion |
|
Olivia Hartley |
1998-2002 |
Selected into the All-Ten Years Team of Asuncion. 4-time All-ASUN honorable mention selection (3-time second team, 2001 first-team) |
|
Maria Balcazar |
2016-2019 |
2-time All-AAC honoree (2017, 2019). Part of the 2019 NCAA Championship Game. |
