Following a promising 2023 campaign ending in a second-place finish at the Liberty League Championship in Spring 2024, the Ithaca College women’s golf team returned with high hopes of another strong fall. It has the smallest varsity roster at the college, needing just four athletes to score. The Bombers had the luxury of six athletes, boasting an impressive season on the stats sheet, topping their 2023 performance.
This season, the team started off strong, taking home wins at the St. Lawrence Invitational from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1 and the Ithaca Invitational from Sept. 7–8. On top of the pair of wins, the team set new program records in the 18- and 36-hole events, respectively, shooting a round of 302 (+14) for 18-hole Sept. 7 and following that up by totaling a 609 (+33) for 36-hole across the two-day invitational. The team shattered that record two weeks later, shooting a round of 293 (+5) for 18-hole Sept. 21.
Head coach Keith Batson said the record-breaking performances this fall were promising for the outlook of the team and will push them toward future success. With the team having its regular season in the spring, the fall provides an opportunity for the athletes to sharpen their skills at competitive regional invitationals.
“It’s always exciting setting records, especially when everyone on the team is involved and playing well,” Batson said. “Four out of the six players are first-years or sophomores, so it bodes well for the future.”
Batson said the team’s consistent performance will be key as the team looks to clinch its first Liberty League Championship in the spring.
“Good play creates confidence,” Batson said. “ We know now that if we are all on our ‘A’ games we can compete with the best teams in the region. So, just knowing that it’s possible helps them and pushes them to continue working hard to reach our goals.”
The Bombers’ round of 293 on Sept. 21 marked a tie for the fifth-lowest team score across Division III at the time. The only teams below the college were No. 9 Washington University in St. Louis at 285, No. 6 Williams College at 289, No. 12 St. Catherine University at 291 and No. 21. Rhodes College at 292.
A standout performer amongst the team is first-year student Madison Coffey. A three-time Liberty League Rookie of the Week, Coffey had a key impact on the team’s record-breaking score of 293, when she tied with sophomore teammate Helena Winterberg for the low round with a 1-under 71 on the second day of the Cortaca Cup.
Winterberg said Coffey’s performance was impressive and that the team is looking forward to seeing what she can accomplish.
“We all see that she has a lot of talent,” Winterberg said. “I think as she continues to grow as a golfer, she’ll only do better in the coming year.”
Winterberg also had a breakout season for the Bombers. She said that her scoring average dropped from 83.55 in 2023 to below 80 this season, something the team considers a huge individual mark. At the Hamilton Invitational on Oct. 6, Winterberg carted the fourth eagle in program history, finishing two strokes under par. She said an instrumental reason for her individual success as well as the teams, came from Batson and his coaching.
“I give credit to [Batson] for sure, knowing personally how much he’s helped with my game,” Winterberg said. “He’s a big part of that. I think he’s the reason for a lot of us doing really well.”
Over the last three seasons, the team has undergone a transformation. Junior Annika Michel said the team had four athletes her first year, only being able to play three in Spring 2023. That season, the Bombers were unable to compete as a team. Michel said the revival of the team has helped her develop her play and reach a new level of competitiveness.
“Since my first year we’ve grown a lot in terms of size,” Michel said. “It’s been great for me to be able to play with a bigger and more competitive team and you’re able to push each other to succeed as well.”
Michel carded a personal best performance of 74 (+2) to finish third at the Cortaca Cup on Sept. 21. She said it was exciting to see the team’s progress from last season and how the team improved as the season moved on.
“It’s been incredible to watch, especially the way our underclassmen have been performing,” Michel said. “We did expect a lot from this season knowing who was coming in from this returning group, but I didn’t expect it to be this drastic. It’s nice to know that we’ve set this foundation and I hope we can build off of it.”
Following the team’s formidable fall, Batson said the level of talent is there and that the team needs to continue to focus on execution as the spring season comes around.
“They just need to keep focusing on the process,” Batson said. “If they put in the work on a daily basis and keep improving, results will happen. They are all very good golfers and are starting to see what they are capable of.”
