There are very few “dynasties” in women’s college golf. When it comes to national championships, however, one thing is certain: The addition of match play at the NCAA Women’s Championship in 2015 brings more teams into the mix.
The following list gives a picture of the top teams’ postseason prowess. Arizona State and Duke, with eight and seven national titles, respectively, top the list.
The NCAA only documents national champions since the 1982 season. Beginning in 1971, the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women governed women’s college athletics and administered the national championship. The AIAW, as it was known, discontinued sponsorship of national championships after the 1981-82 academic year and was later dissolved. Before the AIAW’s formation, the Division for Girls’ and Women’s Sports organized women’s intercollegiate championships.
The following list mentions AIAW titles, when they are notable, but only NCAA titles make up each school’s official championship count for the purposes of this list.
Arizona State
Number of titles: Eight
Years won: 2017, 2009, 1998, 1997, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1990 (plus the 1975 AIAW)
Notable past players: Joanne Carner, Heather Farr, Danielle Ammaccapane, Pearl Sinn, Amy Fruhwirth, Brandie Burton, Emilee Klein, Grace Park, Anna Nordqvist, Azahara Munoz
There’s no doubt that a perfect golf formula is at work at Arizona State, from great courses to phenomenal weather to alumni support that’s both deep and visible. A strong Sun Devil history dates all the way to the 1950s when JoAnne (Gunderson) Carner became the first American woman to earn a college golf scholarship and was the first Sun Devil national champ in 1960 (though that pre-dates the NCAA). An enormous amount of credit, however, goes to Linda Vollstedt, a brilliant coach who transformed the program in the 1980s and ’90s.
Duke
Duke
Number of titles: Seven
Years won: 2019, 2014, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2002, 1999
Notable past players:
Beth Bauer, Candy Hannemann, Virada Nirapathpongporn, Liz Janangelo, Anna Grzebien, Jennie Lee, Amanda Blumenherst, Leona Maguire, Brittany Lang, Celine Boutier
All of Duke’s national titles have come under one man: Dan Brooks. The longtime coach owns 137 career victories in his 35 years at Duke, which leads all NCAA Division I head coaches. When the Blue Devils won their latest trophy in 2019, it was the first in the match-play era after the previous six came in stroke play. Interestingly, Duke women’s golf owns two more national titles than Duke men’s basketball, the sport typically associated with athletic dominance in Durham, North Carolina.
Arizona
Number of titles: Three
Years won: 2018, 2000, 1996
Notable past players: Annika Sorenstam, Lorena Ochoa, Natalie Gulbis, Alison Walshe, Lindsey Weaver
Arizona’s national titles account for some of the most exciting in the sport’s history. In 1996, the Wildcats won their first national title in a sudden-death playoff. Arizona defeated San Jose State by one shot after freshman Marisa Baena holed an 8-iron from 147 yards for eagle on the par-4 18th. It made the difference in the playoff. In 2018, in the new match-play format, Haley Moore holed a clutch birdie putt in front of the TV cameras on the 18th green to deliver the final point – also in sudden death – to tip the balance in Arizona’s favor.
San Jose State
Number of titles: Three
Years won: 1992, 1989, 1987
Notable past players: Patty Sheehan, Juli Inkster, Pat Hurst, Janice Moodie, Dana Dormann
San Jose State was the early powerhouse in women’s golf, thanks in large part to the influence of longtime coach Mark Gale. Location played a big role in getting some of women’s golf’s early stars to campus. Back then, the best recruiting was arguably at the Junior World Championships at Torrey Pines, and Gale could then sell his program to the world’s best talent as being situated halfway between San Francisco and Pebble Beach.
USC
Number of titles: Three
Years won: 2013, 2008, 2003
Notable past players: Jennifer Rosales, Irene Cho, Paola Moreno, Belen Mozo, Jennifer Song, Lizette Salas, Annie Park, Sophia Popov
A huge majority of the USC women’s golf footprint – and all three national titles – came under Andrea Gaston, who coached the Trojans from 1997 to 2019. Over the past 20 years, USC has become famous not just for the titles it did win, but for the sheer number of times the team was in the conversation in a national championship. In the final nine years that the national championship was decided by stroke play (2006-14), USC didn’t finish outside the top 5. That included two victories and two one-shot losses.
UCLA
Number of titles: Three
Years won: 2011, 2004, 1991
Notable past players: Kay Cockerill, Mo Martin, Jane Park, Ryan O’Toole, Tiffany Joh, Maria Jose Uribe, Stephanie Kono, Alison Lee
For evidence of UCLA’s women’s golf legacy, look no further than the LPGA. It’s flooded with former Bruins. UCLA’s success pre-dates the modern version of the NCAA Championship considering that UCLA won the National Intercollegiate Championship in 1971. Former coach Carrie Forsyth has guided the Bruins to two of their three NCAA titles.
Florida
Number of titles: Two
Years won: 1985, 1986
Notable past players: Laurie Rinker, Sandra Gal, Maria Torres
The Gators were No. 1 in the nation when they won the 1985 national title – by 15 shots, no less – and placed four players inside the top 20. By the next year, senior standout Deb Richard had graduated but Florida rode junior Page Dunlap to a repeat team title as Dunlap won the individual crown. Florida ended up battling Miami throughout the course of that week but came out eight shots ahead.
Stanford
Number of titles: Two
Years won: 2015, 2022
Notable past players: Andrea Lee, Albane Valenzuela, Michelle Wie West, Rose Zhang
In the past few years, Stanford has emerged as a women’s golf power, and it thanks to great coaching from Anne Walker and stellar play from those like Roze Zhang, Rachel Heck and numerous others. Zhang capped her career with two individual NCAA titles and 12 victories, most in Stanford history, men’s or women’s golf. Heck won an individual title in her freshman year. For three straight seasons, Stanford has won the stroke-play portion at NCAAs. A dominant run.
Tulsa
Numbers of titles: Two
Years won: 1982, 1998 (plus the 1980 AIAW and the 1982 AIAW won weeks before that year’s NCAA title)
Notable past players: Nancy Lopez, Melissa (McNamara) Luellen, Kelly Robbins, Stacy Prammanasudh, Lee-Anne Pace
Tulsa’s golf godmother was Dale McNamara, who coached the Golden Hurricanes from 1974-2000, a period that included all their national titles. When they won in 1982, it was by 36 shots at the Stanford University Course in Palo Alto, California. McNamara’s 1988 championship team included her daughter Melissa (now Luellen, who took up the reins coaching at Auburn in 2015 after a long stint at Arizona State). Melissa won the individual title by two shots while the team won by seven.
One title
Wake Forest, 2023
Ole Miss, 2021
Washington, 2016
Alabama, 2012
Purdue, 2010
Georgia, 2001
Miami, 1984 (plus 1978, 1977, 1972 AIAW titles)
TCU, 1983
