Oregon State Golf Ends Strong Season at Nationals
The Oregon State women’s golf team wrapped up an impressive 2025-26 season at the NCAA Division I National Championships in Carlsbad, California. They finished in 30th place with a score of 901, battling through three rounds at the beautiful Omni La Costa Resort & Spa.
Only the top 15 teams after Sunday’s play advanced for another chance on Monday, aiming for a spot in the match play later in the week. It’s an exciting time as the national champion will be crowned on May 27.
This was a remarkable achievement for the Beavers, marking their third appearance in the national championships in four years. To put this in perspective, the team made it only once in its first 47 years.
Head Coach Dawn Shockley has transformed the program over her 10 years, guiding them to nine postseason appearances and seven team titles. Under her leadership, records have been shattered, showing significant improvement for the team.
Kyra Ly, the team’s sole senior, has been a standout player. She finished 96th at the nationals with a score of 223, including eight birdies over three rounds. In her time at Oregon State, she became only the second All-American in the program’s history and earned the West Coast Conference Player of the Year award.
Junior Raya Nakao, from Hawaii, also made an impact at nationals, finishing 105th with a total of 224. She has already notched 13 Top 10 finishes in her career, highlighting her potential as a rising star.
Freshman Kate Nakaoka, also from Hawaii, has impressed in her rookie season with four Top 10 finishes. She continued to improve her scores at the nationals and finished with a total of 229. Her best score this year was a remarkable 68 at the PING/ASU Invitational.
Junior Rebecca Kim, from British Columbia, had a challenging final round, ending with a score of 231. Despite this, her best was a solid 70 at the NCAA Stanford Regionals earlier in the season.
Lastly, junior Kelly Hope from South Africa participated in 10 tournaments this season, a notable increase from her previous two years. Though her performance at nationals was tough, she has shown growth and determination.
Oregon State Athletics aims to nurture excellent and visionary student-athletes, and the women’s golf team’s journey this season certainly reflects that mission.
