Women's Golf

Pomona-Pitzer Unanimously Picked to Defend Women's Golf Title

Reigning SCIAC champion No. 5 Pomona-Pitzer Colleges have been picked unanimously to defend their title according to the 2026 SCIAC Women’s Golf Preseason Poll, as voted by the league’s coaches.
 
The Sagehens return an enviable four All-SCIAC players from last season and a fifth from 2024. Two-time First Team selection Rachel LeMay, two-time All-Conference honoree Federica Domecq Lacroze and Second Teamers Malia Loo and Eunice Yi along with 2024 Second Team pick Ottavia Lombardo leave Coaching Staff of the Year winner John Wurzer spoilt for choice. First-year Ann Zhao also factored in heavily over the fall portion of the split season, winning the UW-Whitewater Invite and leading the Sagehens at the NCAA Preview in September.
 
Three-time First Team choice and 2023 Athlete of the Year Esther Lee headlines a No. 20 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges squad that also includes fellow First Teamer and two-time All-Conference pick Christine Yu and two-time Second Teamer Jessie Kong. The Athenas placed 10th at the NCAA Preview and fourth in the Hollins Cup at UC Santa Cruz in the fall. The University of Redlands closed out the fall ranked 16th in the nation with a pair of top five tournament finishes thanks to Second Teamers Savanah Christenson and Jizelle Robledo as well as 2024 honoree Chloe Phan.
 
RV California Lutheran University welcomes back a Second Team honoree from each of the past two seasons in Maya Dela Rama and 2024 Newcomer of the Year Anna Poulin. The Regals placed within the top 10 at the Golfweek Classic in October. Rachel Aujero stepped up from the Second Team to the top squad alongside Katie Leinwand at last year’s SCIAC Championship for Occidental College. Chapman University’s Nika Gholami was the Panthers’ top finisher at last year’s championship, tying for 24th place. Former CMS men’s assistant Alec Spencer takes over the helm at the University of La Verne and has brought in Redlands alum and former Athlete of the Year Kendall Nicholson, who returns to the SCIAC after a year away in the Northwest Conference. Alexis Aguilera and Taylor Ward are the Leopards’ top returners.
 
The Lewis & Clark College West Coast Classic kicked off most teams’ spring schedule earlier this week with SCIAC #1 looming on Feb. 21.
 
2026 SCIAC Women’s Golf Preseason Poll
1. Pomona-Pitzer, 49 points (7 first-place votes)
2. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 36 pts
2. Redlands, 36 pts
4. California Lutheran, 28 pts
5. Occidental, 20 pts
6. Chapman, 19 pts
7. La Verne, 8 pts

 

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