SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Denver was selected by The Summit League’s eight head coaches for the 13th consecutive season as the favorite to claim the #SummitWGF Championship in April. Summit League officials released the 2026 Women’s Golf Preseason Poll and Golfers to Watch list Thursday.
The Pioneers, who have represented the league at the NCAA Tournament 11 times since joining in 2013-14, received all seven first-place votes available to them and topped the poll with 49 points.
Under the direction of fifth-year head coach Martha Richards, DU captured the 2025 Summit League Championship with all five golfers finishing in the top 20 on the individual leaderboard. Pioneer senior Clara Gestdottir posted a 54-hole score of 209 (-4) to secure back-to-back individual Summit League crowns. In her title defense, the Iceland native closed with a 67 (-4) to earn Championship MVP honors for the second time in her career.
The Pioneers recorded an 859 (-14) team score to win the championship by 19 strokes over runner-up South Dakota State.
Oral Roberts collected the remaining first-place vote and finished second with 43 points. South Dakota earned third with 35 points, while North Dakota State (33) and Omaha (25) followed in fourth and fifth, respectively.
South Dakota State, the 2025 Summit League Championship runner-up, was pegged to finish sixth with 19 points, while St. Thomas slotted seventh with 13 points. North Dakota rounded out the poll with seven points.
The 2026 Summit League Women’s Golf Championship will be played at the Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Ariz., for the second consecutive season from April 26-28.
2026 Women’s Golf Preseason Poll
| Program |
Points |
| 1. Denver |
49 (7) |
| 2. Oral Roberts |
43 (1) |
| 3. South Dakota |
35 |
| 4. North Dakota State |
33 |
| 5. Omaha |
25 |
| 6. South Dakota State |
19 |
| 7. St. Thomas |
13 |
| 8. North Dakota |
7 |
First-place vote in parentheses
Preseason Watch List (Alphabetically)
Sophie Cook // North Dakota // Fr. // Hawley, Minn.
- Appeared in three straight Minnesota Class AA State Tournaments
- Participated in Junior PGA Championships
- Placed 12th in her collegiate debut this fall, shooting 11 over par
Ella Greenberg // South Dakota // Jr. // Rockford, Ill.
- Posted a 54-hole score of 217 (+1) at the Redbird Invitational this fall, earning third place honors
- Golfed in all 10 events last season, averaging 75.79 strokes per round which tied for 15th lowest in the conference
- Placed fifth out of 88 players in her most recent fall tournament
Logan Hale // Denver // So. // Erie, Colo.
- Earned two top-10 finishes a season ago, receiving All-Summit League All-Freshman team honors
- Placed t-fifth at the 2025 Summit League Women’s Championship with a 54-hole score of 217 (+4)
- Grabbed 55th place in the 2025 NCAA Normal Regional
Madi Hicks // North Dakota State // Sr. // Victoria, Minn.
- Owned a 74.96 scoring average last season, ranking second on the team
- Finished tied for third at the NDSU Invitational this fall, carding a 36-hole total of 150 (+6) to help the Bison claim the team title
- Named a 2024 All-Summit League Honorable Mention selection after earning Summit League Newcomer of the Year and Second Team honors in 2023
McKenzie Mages // South Dakota State // Sr. // Sioux Falls, S.D.
- Named to the All-Summit League Second Team as a junior while posting three top-10 finishes
- Collected first place at the 2025 Fall Jackrabbit Invitational with a 54-hole total of 227 (+11)
- Placed 19th at the 2025 Summit League Championship
Katie Ruge // Omaha // Sr. // Omaha, Neb.
- Won the Big O Classic this fall by seven strokes with a 54-hole total of 213 (-3)
- Earned two victories last season and finished fifth at the 2025 Summit League Championships
- Named a Second Team All-Summit League selection last season and earned All-Tournament Team honors.
Anna Swan // Oral Roberts // So. // North East, Pa.
- Owned an average score of 73.1 across 14 rounds in the fall season
- Shot even-par to finish 14th out of 104 golfers at the Diamante Intercollegiate this fall
- Finished tied-eighth in the 2025 Summit League Women’s Golf Championship with a 54-hole total of 218 (+5)
Kathryn VanArragon // St. Thomas // Jr. // Blaine, Minn.
- Posted a top-five finish at the Diane Thomason Invitational this fall, with a 54-hole score of 220 (+4)
- Placed first at the 2024 Tommie Invite, finishing four-over par with a 54-hole total of 220
- Earned All-Summit League Honorable Mention honors last season
#SUMMITWGF
