WGOLF08/16/2024 3:45 p.m. | From: Cal Athletics

ACC era begins with Aagaard at the helm

BERKELEY – The California women’s golf team announced its schedule for the 2024-25 season on Friday, unveiling the first competitions that will usher in a new era for the program.

The Golden Bears’ inaugural season in the ACC will also be their first under head coach Sofie Aagaard, who was named the second head coach in program history in June. Aagaard — a three-time NGCA All-American golfer at Cal from 2003-06 and a member of the California Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2021 — will lead the Bears into their first season-opening tournament, the Annika Intercollegiate at Royal Golf Club in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, Sept. 9-11.

This will be the first of five fall events for the Bears, who set numerous program records last year and reeled off three straight wins to start the season. That winning streak included a 4-3 victory over Stanford in the Big Match, an event that will be held for the fifth time at Menlo Country Club on Sept. 26.

Cal will close out its opening month with a return to the Molly Invitational Sept. 30-Oct. 1 at Bayonet & Black Horse in Seaside. Led in last year’s Molly Invitational by 2023-24 WGCA Assistant Coach of the Year Bev Terry – who returns for her 10th season on the team’s coaching staff – the Bears won the tournament while setting four program records, including their lowest 54-hole team score (-28) ever.

The Bears will remain in the Bay Area for Stanford Collegiate from Oct. 18-20 before finishing the fall season at the Nanea Invitational in Kailua Kona, Hawaii.

The spring season begins Feb. 2-4 with the Therese Hession Regional Challenge at Palos Verdes Country Club. Three weeks later, Cal will compete in the Bruin Wave Invitational at Valencia Country Club. The Bears will advance to the ACC Championship on April 16-19 after playing three other regular-season road games: the Yale Invitational West at PGA West (March 10-11), the PING/ASU Invitational in Arizona (March 28-30) and the Silverado Showdown on April 7-9.

Aagaard — who led Washington State to two consecutive NCAA Regionals during her two-year tenure with the Cougars — will look to lead Cal to its 24th Regional since 2000. The NCAA Regionals will be held May 6-8. The NCAA Championship will be held May 17-22 at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad.

Cal returns with the two worst scorers from last season in the junior league. Adora Liu and in the second year of study Constance Fouillet. Liu (72.4) posted the program’s lowest 18-hole scoring average ever in 2023-24, while Fouillet (72.7) posted the program’s best freshman mark ever.

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