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The University of Louisiana at Monroe women’s golf program delivered a complete championship performance at Lakewood Golf Club in Point Clear, Alabama, turning three rounds of steady stroke play and two decisive match play victories into the 2026 Sun Belt Conference Women’s Golf Championship. The title secures the Warhawks the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA women’s golf regionals and confirms their rise as one of the Sun Belt’s premier programs.
Competing as the top seed after dominating the 54-hole stroke play portion of the event, ULM swept past Old Dominion in the semifinals and then controlled a tense final against Texas State, winning the championship dual 4–1. It is the Warhawks’ second Sun Belt title in three years and only the second conference crown in program history.
ULM’s championship run started long before the first match play tee shot. Over three days of stroke play at Lakewood Golf Club, the Warhawks built a cushion on the rest of the 12-team field and never really relinquished control.
Playing the Lakewood layout at a team total of 871 (+7), ULM finished nine shots clear of its closest challenger to earn the No. 1 seed entering match play. South Alabama, Texas State, and Old Dominion rounded out the top four, but none could match the Warhawks’ depth or consistency over 54 holes.
Junior standout Daniela Campillo led the way individually for ULM, carding 211 (five under par) and tying for second in the individual standings. The performance marked the third straight year that Campillo has finished inside the top three at the Sun Belt Championship, underlining her status as one of the league’s most reliable performers.
More importantly for team success, she had plenty of help. Freshman Zoe McLean-Tattan and teammates Anna Andrysova and Emma Manzini each posted 221 (+5), while senior Johanna Sjursen added a 222 (+6). With five players bunched inside 11 shots of each other, ULM’s balance became the defining trait of the week.
That balance is exactly what coaches and analysts point to in modern college golf. According to the NCAA’s own coverage of the sport, deep lineups are essential in conference championships and postseason play, where every score counts and conditions can shift quickly over multiple days (https://www.ncaa.com/sports/golf-women/d1).
The Sun Belt Conference Championship format mirrors what more conferences across the country are embracing: a combination of stroke play qualifying followed by match play for the title. Understanding this format is important for recruits and families interested in how college golf championships are actually won.
In the Sun Belt’s setup:
This hybrid format tests both scoring depth and mental toughness. Stroke play rewards the cumulative consistency that programs like the University of Louisiana at Monroe have developed. Match play, by contrast, compresses pressure into individual battles where momentum can swing quickly.
As the No. 1 seed, ULM drew fourth-seeded Old Dominion in Thursday morning’s semifinal. The Warhawks wasted little time showing that their stroke play form would translate cleanly into match play.
ULM rolled to a 4.5–0.5 team victory, setting the tone early with decisive wins in the opening matches. Emma Manzini provided the first spark, closing out a commanding 5&4 win to put the Warhawks in front. Senior leader Johanna Sjursen followed with a 3&2 victory, extending the lead and applying pressure across the lineup.
From there, junior anchor Campillo delivered the clinching point with a 2&1 decision, mathematically locking up ULM’s place in the final. Even with the result secured, the Warhawks kept their foot on the gas. Freshman McLean-Tattan added a one-up win, and Andrysova halved her match with Old Dominion medalist Barbara Car to finalize the 4.5–0.5 margin.
On the other side of the bracket, Texas State surprised No. 2 seed South Alabama with a 4.5–0.5 result of its own, setting up a championship showdown between two programs that have quietly become the standard in Sun Belt women’s golf.
The afternoon final between ULM and Texas State played out like a rivalry that has been building for years. These same programs went head-to-head for the title in 2023, with the Warhawks winning that year in a dramatic playoff after tying over 54 holes in Daytona Beach, Florida. In 2026, the stakes and tension felt just as high.
With five matches going off in sequence, each point mattered. Senior Anna Andrysova set the tone in the leadoff spot, securing a 2&1 victory over Texas State’s Briana LeMaire and staking ULM to an early 1–0 lead.
Texas State responded when Fia Lindblom defeated Campillo 4&3, leveling the overall team score at one point apiece and briefly swinging momentum to the Bobcats. The middle matches would determine whether ULM’s second Sun Belt title in three years would stay on track.
Once again, Manzini delivered in a big spot. Showing the same composure that had powered her semifinal win, she posted a 3&2 victory to nudge the Warhawks back in front and move them one point from the championship.
That set the stage for a dramatic finish across the final two matches. Both Sjursen and McLean-Tattan headed into the late holes all square, with every swing carrying championship implications. Seniors and freshmen, veterans and newcomers, were suddenly sharing the same pressure.
The championship turned on the 18th green, in the hands of a freshman playing anchor.
Matched against Texas State freshman Mana Hersperger, ULM’s McLean-Tattan arrived at the final hole tied, knowing that a win would secure the Warhawks’ third point and the Sun Belt crown. In that moment, the newcomer showed the kind of poise coaches hope to recruit and develop.
On the last green, McLean-Tattan rolled in a birdie putt to win her match one up, clinching the team’s decisive third point before Sjursen even finished. Only after the result was already certain did Sjursen close out her own one-up victory, setting the final score at 4–1.
For a freshman to stand over a championship-deciding putt and convert speaks volumes about both individual composure and program culture. For recruits and families tracking college golf, stories like McLean-Tattan’s underscore that impact roles are not reserved only for upperclassmen. In the right environment, first-year players can and do determine conference championships.
The 2026 victory at Lakewood Golf Club is not an isolated breakthrough for ULM. Under head coach Rachel Pollock, the Warhawks have moved from chasing the conference leaders to becoming one of the league’s clear benchmarks.
ULM’s first Sun Belt Championship came in 2023, when the Warhawks and Texas State finished tied after 54 holes in Daytona Beach. That year, ULM prevailed on the second playoff hole to secure its first-ever conference crown. Three seasons later, the Warhawks are champions again, this time in a format that required both a stroke play wire-to-wire lead and back-to-back match play wins.
Seniors Andrysova and Sjursen have been central figures in both titles, effectively bookending their careers with Sun Belt rings. Their leadership has helped bridge eras, connecting the 2023 breakthrough group with the newer core that now includes freshmen McLean-Tattan and Manzini.
Across college golf, building that kind of sustained success is no small task. The NCAA women’s golf postseason structure, with its emphasis on regional bids and national qualification, rewards programs that can reload rather than simply peak once (https://www.ncaa.com/championships/golf-women/d1).
By winning the Sun Belt Championship, the University of Louisiana at Monroe, an NCAA Division I institution in Monroe, Louisiana, secured the conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA women’s golf regionals.
The NCAA selection show, scheduled for April 29 on Golf Channel, will reveal where the Warhawks are headed. Regardless of which regional they draw, ULM will arrive with a strong resume from the conference tournament:
At the regional level, formats differ from conference championships. Regionals are entirely stroke play, with the top teams and top individuals on non-qualifying teams advancing to the NCAA Championships. For players and parents mapping out a path to Division I golf, understanding these postseason structures helps frame why conference championships and automatic bids are such pivotal milestones.
For prospective student-athletes, the 2026 Sun Belt women’s golf championship sends several clear signals about ULM and the conference environment they would be stepping into.
Winning a first conference title can be seen as a breakthrough. Winning a second within three years suggests a program that has built sustainable strength. ULM has shown it can compete in different environments (Daytona in 2023, Lakewood in 2026) and in different formats (straight stroke play with a playoff, then stroke play plus match play).
That kind of consistency is appealing to recruits who want to compete for championships and potentially play in NCAA regionals during their careers.
McLean-Tattan’s anchor role and clinching birdie on 18 underscore that ULM is willing to trust young players in big moments. Manzini’s strong championship and stroke play scores further reinforce that freshmen can immediately contribute in meaningful ways.
For juniors or high school golfers considering programs, it is worth asking during the recruiting process:
The Sun Belt may not carry the same national spotlight as some Power Five conferences, but its champions still head to NCAA regionals, and its top players regularly post under-par totals in conference play. For many recruits, a strong mid-major like ULM can offer:
Tools like Pathley’s Golf Pathley Hub can help athletes compare programs across Division I, II, and III, understand conference strength, and find colleges where their scoring average, academics, and goals align with the team’s needs.
If ULM’s 2026 Sun Belt women’s golf championship has your attention, the next step is to dig into whether the Warhawks, or programs like them, could be a good fit.
You can start by exploring the Pathley College Directory, which brings together core details for every school in one place. From there, athletes can save schools, cross-compare options, and begin building a target list.
For sport-specific insight, Pathley’s Golf Pathley Hub highlights college golf programs, ranking lists, and camp or clinic options tailored to your level and goals. Seeing where ULM and other Sun Belt programs sit in the broader landscape can help you decide whether a similar mid-major environment is right for you.
If you want a deeper dive into your personal match with a particular school, Pathley’s College Fit Snapshot tool offers a quick evaluation of academic, athletic, and campus fit, all in one PDF you can use for planning and conversations with coaches.
When ULM broke through for its first Sun Belt women’s golf title in 2023, it was easy to view the Warhawks as an emerging story. Three years later, with another conference trophy and another NCAA regional berth in hand, it is more accurate to call the program what it has become: an established contender on the Division I stage.
At Lakewood Golf Club in 2026, the Warhawks:
As they await their NCAA regional assignment on Golf Channel, the Warhawks have already achieved something significant: they have raised the standard for what ULM women’s golf can be and carved out a clear identity in the Sun Belt and beyond.
If watching a program like ULM climb the Sun Belt ladder makes you want to explore your own college golf path, you do not have to navigate that process alone. Pathley is building tools specifically for athletes and families who want data, context, and clear next steps.
You can:
Championship weeks like the 2026 Sun Belt women’s golf tournament show what is possible when the right players find the right programs. With the Warhawks now headed to NCAA regionals, ULM’s story is a reminder that the next breakthrough could be one confident decision away.
