UCF Knights Women's Golf: A History of Success and a Promising Future

The UCF Knights Women's Golf team has established itself as a force to be reckoned with, consistently achieving success and setting new standards. With a history of conference championships, NCAA regional appearances, and talented players, the Knights are poised to continue their winning tradition in the Big 12 Conference.

Program Overview

The UCF Knights represent the University of Central Florida in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). UCF sponsors 16 varsity sports, with the women's golf team standing out as a program with a rich history and a bright future.

Early Years and Conference Affiliations

The UCF varsity athletic program became a charter member of the Sunshine State Conference in 1975. The school moved up to Division I in 1984. In its first years in D-I, UCF was a member of the American South Conference, merging into the Sun Belt Conference in 1991. Women's sports in Division I played in the New South Women's Athletic Conference until 1990 when the American South began organizing women's sports. In 1996, UCF was advanced to I-A (FBS) in football, and initially remained independent in football until becoming a football-only member of the Mid-American Conference in 2001, the same year the TAAC became the Atlantic Sun Conference. UCF joined Conference USA (C-USA) in all sports in 2005. It was announced in 2011 that UCF would join the Big East, which became the American Athletic Conference (AAC) in 2013 following conference realignment and is now known as the American conference. In September 2021, UCF received and accepted a membership offer to the Big 12 Conference.

A Legacy of Coaching Excellence: Emily Marron

Emily Marron has been at the helm of the UCF women's golf program, marking her 12th season in 2023-24 and her 13th season in 2024-25. A two-time American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, Marron has consistently guided the Knights to success. Her tenure is highlighted by:

Nine NCAA Regional appearances.
One NCAA National Championship appearance in 2019.
Ten seasons of sending at least one representative to the postseason.
Two conference championships.
Top-two finishes in conference play for seven of 12 seasons.
Four Freshman of the Year awards.
Four Player of the Year accolades.
21 all-conference selections.

Marron's impact on the program is undeniable, as she has cultivated a winning culture and developed numerous talented golfers. For her dedication and success, she was rewarded with a contract extension through 2028.

Read also: A Legacy of Competition

Key Players and Accomplishments

The UCF Knights Women's Golf team has been home to many talented players who have achieved individual and team success.

Tunrada "Pat" Piddon

Piddon's graduation in December 2023 marked the departure of a significant contributor to the program. She achieved a program-lowest scoring average and had four individual wins. Piddon also set the lowest single-season scoring average in program history three times.

Pimpisa "Sandwich" Sisutham

Sisutham has become a prominent player for the Knights. Following her breakout freshman campaign, she continued her momentum into the fall of 2023. She began with a 202 (-11) performance in the season-opener, the fourth-lowest 54-hole score in program history and earned WGCA All-American honors.

Molly Smith

Smith made headlines by becoming the first woman to qualify for the Massachusetts Amateur Championship. In her freshman campaign, Smith secured an individual title at the Mercedes-Benz Intercollegiate. In 2024 she earned WGCA All-American honors.

Anna Nordfors

The Campbell transfer made a significant impact during her single season with the Knights. She was selected to the All-AAC team and broke the program’s 54-hole score record (195, -21) to win the individual title at the UCF Challenge.

Read also: A Legacy of Excellence

Jess Baker

Baker was a consistent golfer who had her breakout moments, from winning the Women’s Amateur Championship in 2022 to the 2024 Big 12 Championship, where she shot a tournament single-round record 64 to finish seventh overall.

Mila Jurine

Hailing from France, Jurine was the only Knights golfer not named Smith or Sisutham to turn in a top ten individual finish during the fall, when she led the Knights by finishing tied for ninth at the Landfall Tradition, the final tournament of the fall slate.

Last season

The Knights were a force for most of the 2023-24 season, finishing in the top five as a team in eight of 11 tournaments. However, the graduation of Tunrada Piddon following the fall left an opening in the squad’s depth that haunted them late in the season in the Big 12 Championship, though Jess Baker’s historic final round would help soften the blow, and the NCAA Regionals, where the Knights were once again eliminated, finishing ninth.

Team Rankings and Performance

The Knights have consistently been ranked among the top teams in the nation. Entering the spring of 2024, they were ranked 13th in the Clippd rankings, the second-highest-ranked Big 12 team behind Texas. In the fall of 2023, the team never finished outside of the top five, securing two wins at the Evie Odom Invitational and the Mercedes-Benz Intercollegiate. Six of the program’s Top 13 lowest 18-hole team scores and three of the program’s Top 6 lowest 54-hole team scores in program history were shot last fall.

In 2024-25, the Knights entered the spring season ranked #36 in the nation. After teeing off with some of the top teams of the nation at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate and finishing in the back of the pack, the Knights pulled together to finish in the top five for the final three fall tournaments.

Roster Composition

The UCF Women's Golf team boasts a diverse roster of talented players from various backgrounds. The 2024 roster includes:

2 Freshmen
3 Sophomores
1 Junior
1 Senior
5 International Players (Japan, France, Ireland, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates)
1 Central Floridian

The 2023-24 roster consisted of:

3 Freshman
1 Sophomore
2 Senior
1 Grad-Student
6 International Players (England, Ecuador, France, Ireland, and Thailand)

How College Golf Works

Each school has five golfers playing for the overall team score. While a school can enter more than five players in a tournament, if they do so the extra players have to be entered as individuals and will not count toward the team’s score. A team’s total score comes from combining the scores of each of the golfers and subtracting the highest score. The team with the lowest score after three rounds is the winner.

Looking Ahead: The Big 12 Era

As UCF enters the Big 12 Conference, the women's golf team is poised to make a splash. With a strong foundation, talented players, and experienced leadership, the Knights are expected to be contenders for the conference title. Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine has predicted that the Knights will win the Big 12 Championship.

Spring Schedules

2024

The Spring 2024 UCF Women’s Golf Schedule included tournaments such as:

UCF Challenge in Orlando, FL
Moon Golf Invitational in Melbourne, FL
Gators Invitational in Gainesville, FL
Briar's Creek Invitational in Kiawah Island, SC
Texas Showdown in Dallas, TX
Big 12 Championship in Hockley, TX

2025

The 2025 UCF Women’s Golf Spring Schedule includes tournaments such as:

PDI Intercollegiate in Orlando, FL
Moon Golf Invitational in Melbourne, FL
Gators Invitational in Gainesville, FL
Valspar Invitational in Augusta, GA
Varitex Bank Collegiate in Dallas, TX
Big 12 Championship in Houston, TX

The Last Time…

UCF won a conference championship: 2017.
UCF made it to the NCAA Championship: 2019.

tags: #ucf #womens #golf #team #history