CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois women's golf heard its name called this afternoon on Golf Channel as one of 72 programs headed to the NCAA Regionals. The Fighting Illini will travel back west to Stanford, California, to compete at the Stanford Golf Course, from May 11-13, as the No. 8 seed of 12 teams.
2026 marks the 12th overall regional appearance in program history, and eighth in the last nine tournaments. In 2025, Illinois finished ninth in the NCAA Columbus Regional, with current senior Anna Ritter tallying a 71 (-1) on the final day, for the lowest round at an NCAA Regional in her career. The Illini have advanced to the NCAA Championships once in program history, in 2019, when the Orange and Blue recorded a ninth-place finish at Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Illinois is coming off a T-5 finish at the Big Ten Championships, led by a career-best T-9 finish from senior Brielle Mapanao. Mapanao was one of just six players to card a score at or under par in the final round of play, earning a 70 (E). On day one, Ritter set a new lowest round in Oakmont Country Club women's tournament history, recording a 65 (-5).
The top five teams and top individual not on an advancing team will advance from each regional to the national championship. The other locations to host NCAA Regionals include Ann Arbor, Michigan, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Simpsonville, Kentucky, Tallahassee, Florida, and Waco, Texas.
The 2026 NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship will be held Friday, May 22 to Wednesday, May 27, at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California. For more information, visit the NCAA website.
NCAA Stanford Regional Teams
- Stanford
- Pepperdine
- Vanderbilt
- Arizona State
- Missouri
- Arizona
- Cal State Fullerton
- Illinois
- Oregon State
- Cal Poly
- South Dakota State
- Navy
