Preview: Houston women’s golf set for first NCAA Championships appearance

When coach Lydia Lasprilla was asked about the team’s main goal after advancing to its first-ever NCAA Championships, she kept it simple.

Embrace the opportunity. 

“It’s an awesome opportunity to compete for a national championship, so we want to go there, and have fun while we’re doing it,” Lasprilla said. “While we’re at the golf course, take care of business as usual, but while we’re off the golf course, really enjoy it.”

While competing at the NCAA Championships will be a new venture to five of the six players making the trip, Lasprilla and senior Moa Svedenskiöld have experience on the 6,373-yard course.

The two traveled to the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. last year, when Svedenskiöld qualified for the individual competition.

Meet the lineup

This year, the veteran-led team of seniors Natalie Saint Germain, Alexa Saldana and Svedenskiöld get to enjoy it as a group, with the trio knowing it’s their last collegiate competition.

Junior Maelynn Kim and sophomore Emilia Vaïstö, both of whom will also make their nationals debut, join them.

Two of the three seniors boast a top-three individual finish in the 2025-26 season, with Sweden native Svedenskiöld claiming second place in February at the Collegiate Individual at Guadalajara Country Club.

Saint Germain, of the Czech Republic, tallied three consecutive rounds in the 60s to capture her first individual title at the Jim West Challenge at Kissing Tree Golf Club in San Marcos, Texas in October.

Saldana, a Mexico native, also recorded a season-best finish in the tournament, tying for 11th with a score of 4-under 212.

Kim notched her best finish of the season and career at the Collegiate Individual, tying for second place with a score of 3-under 213.

Vaïstö of Finland tied for a season-best 22nd with a score of even-par 216 when she competed in the Huntington Bank Collegiate at Trinity Forest Golf Club in April. 

The format

Houston’s path to a national title includes more challenges and steps than any other tournament.

The event, which spans from May 22-27, features a 30-team field across the first three rounds and 54 holes, before being trimmed in half following day three.

From there, stroke play totals will determine the top eight teams, which fill face off in a match-play bracket to determine the national champion.

The top-nine individuals not on a qualifying team advance to the final round of stroke play. From there, the top player following the final round will be crowned individual champion.

Houston enters the NCAA Championships after second-place finishes at both the Big 12 championships and NCAA Regionals, both of which are program-best marks.

After finishing runner-up to No. 18 Iowa State in the Big 12 championships, Houston managed to finish ahead of the Cyclones in the regionals, as well as No. 6 Arkansas and No. 19 Ole Miss.

There’s no visible leaderboards on the course for players to keep track of while competing, adding another layer of focus and discipline to the one of highest-stake competitions of their careers.

“I’m really proud and just knowing that we made history our last year is something I will never forget. It makes me super proud just thinking about it. Knowing we went out with a bang,” Saldana said.