Houston senior Alexa Saldana prepares to hit the ball into the twelfth hole of the women’s golf Chevron Collegiate, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025 in Humble, Texas. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
The Houston women’s golf team went on its first trip to the NCAA Championship at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, CA.
After placing second at the NCAA Simpsonville Regional where they tallied a team score of 11-under 853, the team made school history when they advanced to the nation’s most prestigious collegiate competition for the first time ever.
The No.29-ranked Cougars finished twentieth in the NCAA championship tournament after three rounds, while senior Moa Svedenskiöld tied for thirty-sixth.
Altogether, the team tallied a team score of 289 and finished with a 54-hole score of 880 while rising four places in the standings. In the end, Svedenskiöld tied her first-round score, finishing with a 71, tying for No.36 at 217 to lead the team.
To Lydia Lasprilla, the second Head Coach in women’s golf history, the win to advance to the championship was a special homecoming.
“That was super-special, to be home,” Lasprilla said. “I grew up forty-five minutes from that golf course, so I had a lot of family and friends that I hadn’t seen come out supporting the Cougars.”
Together, they became a formidable force to be reckoned with this season. When asked what the difference maker was between this season’s team performance and last season’s, Lasprilla credits the leadership of the team.
“I think we have great leadership,” Lasprilla said. “We have a veteran team and they’ve been through regionals several times.”
Coach Lasprilla’s exceptional guidance had united this team of international players. Besides junior Maelynn Kim, everyone else on the roster hails from different parts of the world.
“It’s actually very inspiring, because they’re so far away from home,” Kim said. “To see them all push through the adversity whenever they’re sick or get homesick, it makes me super-grateful and realize to be thankful for everything.”
Through their time together, they strengthened their bonds as a team. Being away from home, they had learned to rely on each other to get them through the hardest of times. It is this type of camaraderie that brought the team together, helping them to peak at the right moment.
“It was like another family, like we built another Houston family here. We’re all adults, but for the first time we’re across the Atlantic Ocean,” said senior Natalie Saint Germain. “It’s so nice to have people you can rely on.”
They challenged each other to bring out the best in one another. Though they are a team, they remained competitive with one another to sharpen and hone their skills to the fullest.
“In the gym, Natalie is incredibly strong. She pushes everyone. She can lift like double her weight, it’s crazy,” said junior Alexa Saldana. “In golf, I think the three other girls, especially Moa. She’s always grinding so hard, so she really pushes me to keep up with her and keep practicing,”
Svedenskiöld had been fantastic this season, continuing off her junior year when she was the only player on the team to qualify for the NCAA championship after finishing 2-under 214 at the Columbus Regional.
This year, Svedenskiöld was humble yet proud to have the rest of the team join her in the championship.
“It’s unbelievable. Making history- it’s a great feeling. It’s what we all dreamed about, bringing the whole team,” Svedenskiöld said. “We achieved the ultimate goal, to make it to nationals.”
Svedenskiöld’s veteran work ethic, accomplishments and leadership by example really helped bring out the best in her fellow teammates.
The team pushed themselves, and together they achieved a monumental ending to a historic season.
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