WHEELING, WV – Over the past two seasons, the University of Wheeling women’s golf team has been a powerhouse in the Mountain East Conference (MEC). They’ve finished in the top four in the conference each of the past four seasons, including a return to the MEC Championship in 2021. Going into the 2023-2024 season, the team is looking to keep the winning tradition going, despite losing two of its best players. Players with a roster of four returning from last year.
The spring of 2023 had many positives for the Cardinals, despite the cancellation of the first round of the year. They officially started the season on April 2nd, and in the four slams they finished fourth, first and third. They failed to qualify for the 2023 NCAA DII Regional Tournament but would finish the regular season with a 24.5-5.5 win over Point Park. The last game of the season finale was very special as it will be the first home competition for the women’s golf team since the MEC Northern Championships in 2019, and the last time the Big Three will be on the team. Zoila Herrera, Emily HolzopfelAnd Kylie Tolliver They will play the last event in Wheeling.
All six members of the women’s golf team would win their final match against Point Park and the most decorated of them all Emily Holzopfel A four-time regional champion and three-time MEC champion, she started her last game strong and finished her career strong as well. All in all, the spring season is going to be a memorable one, and the future looks bright for the University of Wheeling women’s golf team.
This year’s team looks a bit different with the departure of the first team, but they still have a decent group hoping to repeat the success they had last year as they finished fourth in the MEC Championship and finished in the top five in almost every tournament they played.
Nicole Lincecum She is a rookie who will be seen as a seasoned veteran and leader next season as she ended her strong second year by tying a career best of 80, finishing 20th overall at the 2022 Middle East Ladies Golf Championship, and earning an All-MEC Honorable Mention for the second time in her career. Zoila Herrera She is back in her fifth year where she hopes to repeat what she did last year as she finished tied for 21st in the MEC Championship with a total score of 267. Mara Johnson She returns in her sophomore year after a strong performance as a freshman posting a career best No. 82 during the first round of the Michael Corbett Classic and tied for 21st overall at the 2022 MEC Women’s Golf Championship. Ella Kiefer She would also be a sophomore and in her senior year had a career best 85 at the University of Charleston Second Round Invitational.
The 2023-24 season will begin on September 3-4, when they will play the Cal-U Invitational in California, Pennsylvania. The First Invitational will give the women’s team a chance to play with regional opponents and learn about the competition while the Davis & Elkins Invitational and Charleston Invitational will give them a look at conference competition. Those first few invites will give the team a benchmark for where they are as they head into the MEC Championship in late October.
The Wheeling University women’s golf team begins their season on Sunday, September 3, when they head to the CAL-U Vulcan Invitational with a tee time around 9am.