From Oct. 20 to Oct. 22, the Vandals women’s golf team went to Lihue, Hawaii to play in the 2025 Rainbow Wahine Invitational on the Ocean Course Hokuala and placed last at 19th. Junior Zoe Newell led the Vandals coming in at 32nd and a score of +5.
Sophomore Ella Kozak was second on the team, placing 99th and a score of +20. Sophomore Laura Caamano and freshman Inkjung Charnchanayothin both tied for 103rd with a score of +23. Kaylin Johnson placed 109 with a score of +27. The Vandals ended with a total score of +66 in the three rounds they played.
First place went to 15th-ranked University of Baylor, as they finished with a total of -13. They had players finish at first, third and sixth, which practically guaranteed the no. 1 spot. They beat second place by nine strokes, with Santa Clara and Missouri placing second, tied with a score of -4.
The last time the Vandals played at the Wahine Invitational was in 2021 and they placed third, with a player finishing at sixth. This was the 29th Wahine Invitational, which Hawaii hosts, but this was only the second time the Vandals have played it.
This tournament was the Vandals last invitational until Feb. 10, at the Bowling Green State University Women’s Intercollegiate at the Wigwam Golf Club in Litchfield Park, Arizona. Then women’s golf will pick back up again in the spring as they have five more tournaments in the spring.
With Julia Goodson completing her first partial season as head coach, her and the Vandals will have to regroup and find their grove on the course when they hit the course again in February to contend for a Big Sky championship in the spring.
Taylan Hallum can be reached at [email protected].