Thanks to a strong 2026 fall season, Ashland University's women's golf team accomplished a program first on Friday (Oct. 23) afternoon.
The second Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) NCAA Division II poll of 2026-27 was released on Friday, and, for the first time, the Eagles are in the Top 25 of the ranking – sitting at No. 25 going into the spring 2027 championship season.
"It is a great feeling," said Ashland head coach
Ted Chester. "It was one of my goals, to get in the Top 25 and do it consistently. But it takes a lot of hard work from the girls in the offseason and during the season, and getting them to start to believe in themselves.
"It's just really awesome."
The Eagle women played in five fall tournaments, finishing in a tie for fifth at Ball State's Brittany Kelly Classic (14 teams), winning Wayne State's Warrior Invitational (14 teams), placing fourth at Grand Valley State's Gilda's Club Laker Fall Invite (16 teams), taking sixth at Findlay's William Beall Fall Classic (18 teams), and most recently, placing sixth at the Intercollegiate at Nemacolin (10 teams).
A program which began at the start of the century in 2000-01, Ashland women's golf has qualified as a team for the NCAA Division II Championships four times (2011, 2013, 2015, 2024), and had individuals go to nationals four other times (2012, 2016, 2018 and 2026).
2026-27 WGCA ASHLAND UNIVERSITY COACHES POLL RANKINGS: No. 25 (Oct. 23).
