Bears on the Ursinus Men and Women’s Golf teams are getting ready to take on the Centennial Conference Championships this weekend, April 25-27th at Waynesboro Country Club. With seven tournaments for the women and eleven for the men’s team under their belts, both teams are looking forward to the chance to show off the skills they’ve been fine-tuning all season long!
Our Lady Bears showed growth and determination this spring, displaying consistent improvement as they battled some tough teams. With back-to-back 3rd place finishes at their two home competitions, The Bear and Spring Awakening, the Bears are eager to perform at the upcoming championships. “I’m super excited for conferences as I love Waynesboro Country Club,” shared Payton Fritz ’26. Fritz was one of six for her team competing in the Spring Awakening, placing 23rd overall with a score of 111 to finish.
Teammate Sophia Cooper ’27 also expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “I am excited to have the opportunity to compete at the Centennial Conference Championships and look forward to having fun out on the course!” Cooper performed alongside Fritz in their Spring Awakening, making her season debut with a career-low score of 98, placing her tied for 15th. The remaining Bears competing in the tournament were McKenzie Thompson ’27, Kaylin Chen ’25, Elliot Schott ’25, and Olivia Bonnet ’25.
With a two-day championship, the women are looking forward to the shared time with one another during this time. “It’s super fun to stay with the team overnight at the hotel. It’s a great bonding time for us and we all discuss our rounds from that day, get dinner, and just have a great time,” explained Fritz. One thing keeping the team strong is their love for one another. Cooper shared, “The team has been very welcoming to me as a transfer, and they are always looking to help their teammates out, whether it’s on the course or at the range.”
With many returners on the team, the women’s team is grateful for the chance to attend the championships once again. “Personally, my goal for the team is for those who have played before to beat our scores from before – and for us to not come in last!” expressed Fritz. Determined to make the weekend one for the books, the Bears are ready to highlight their skills to end out their season!
As for the men’s team, the Bears fought through a competitive schedule, displaying their grit and hard work all season long. The men showed improvement across the year, with top-half finishes in the DeSales University Spring Classic (6th, T-7th). Similar to the women’s team, the men’s team displayed success in their home Spring Awakening competition, with a 2nd place finish – their best result of the season!
“We are very confident heading into the conference championships. We’ve done very well in previous competitions against other teams in our conference, and I think that will give us a big boost for this weekend,” commented Jimmy Cage ’26. The Bears set a season-low at the DeSales Spring Classic, with Billy Breslin ‘25, Aidan Bonczek ’28, and Cage pacing the Bears lineup with their own individual collegiate lows. Cage shot a career-low score of 76 on the first day of competition, followed by a score of 80 the next day to tie for 21st overall. “We’ve made huge improvement since last fall, and I think that comes from the constant motivation and support from fellow teammates to improve as a group,” detailed Cage. One thing the men’s team places a high value on, is making each other better. Cage explained, “Our practices are always competitive, whether it’s individually based or team based. We don’t believe we are getting better without some form of pressure to succeed, because that pressure will be very real this weekend at conferences.”
Both the men and women’s teams are motivated to go all out this weekend. With seasons full of improvement and resilience, the Ursinus Golf teams are ready to display their talents this weekend at Waynesboro Country Club. Don’t forget to tune into the Centennial Conference Championships this Friday-Sunday to see them in action!