On Her TurfOn Her Turf

WNBA Finals: Connecticut Sun stay alive with resounding Game 3 win over Las Vegas Aces

By Sep 15, 2022, 11:25 PM EDT
Alyssa Thomas #25 of the Connecticut Sun is congratulated by teammate Jonquel Jones.
Getty Images
0 Comments

The Connecticut Sun kept their championship aspirations alive Thursday with a resounding win over the Las Vegas Aces in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals. Sun forward Alyssa Thomas wrote a new entry in the record books with the first triple-double in WNBA Finals history, scoring 16 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists.

Las Vegas, which holds a 2-1 series lead, was led by Jackie Young with 22 points, while 2022 WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson added 19. Kelsey Plum chipped in 17 and Chelsea Gray scored 11. The top-seeded Aces will have a second attempt to close out their first title in franchise history on the road Sunday afternoon in Game 4 (4 p.m. ET on ESPN).

Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun, Game 3: Post-game quotes

Sun’s Alyssa Thomas on historic triple-double performance: “That’s what I’ve been doing all season. We’ve been struggling offensively and finally got a game back at home. Me and my teammates were making shots, so none of this is ever possible without them.”

Sun head coach Curt Miller on Alyssa Thomas (video below): “She’s probably the toughest player I’ve ever coached, but she’s the most consistent player in terms of effort that I’ve ever been around. I know what I’m going to get every single day. That’s how she plays and that’s what makes her special. She doesn’t know how to play other than that way.”

Aces head coach Becky Hammon on Game 3 loss: “This game was about physicality and mental toughness and they smoked us on it. Period. The physical follows but the mental for them was there and not us. And kudos to them for executing their game plan and executing it hard. They didn’t do a whole lot different, they just did it harder. They’ve been blitzing us the whole series, they just did it harder and we responded soft.”

Sun’s DeWanna Bonner on Alyssa Thomas’ triple-double: “When you say the engine, she’s the engine. You know, you don’t use that [word] loosely, so shout out to her. We were just able to hit a couple of shots tonight so that she can get her triple-double. So she needs to thank me.” [Laughter ensues.]

Aces’ A’ja Wilson on what went wrong in first quarter as Sun outscored Aces, 34-19: “Defense, defense. We just were not locked in on the defensive and we were a step slow on the defensive end. And that fuels our offense. So we have to be more locked in on the defensive side, more than anything, when you’re playing against a team like Conn. And so for us to come out and lack that, it was gonna be a long game for us regardless of who we played.”

Sun’s Jonquel Jones on Game 3 win: “I think it’s just the MO of our team: When our backs are against the wall, we play really good basketball. Sometimes you wish that you didn’t put yourself in those positions, but that’s done now. All we can do is focus on the next game.”

Aces’ Jackie Wilson on her 22-point performance and what Vegas needs to do in Game 4: “I just did what I supposed to do — knock down open shots. They were leaving me open. I just have to step into it with confidence and make the shot. Besides that, we’ll make a few adjustments. We made it too easy for them. They’re a physical team, and we just have to match their physical energy.”

Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun, Game 3: Fourth-quarter live updates

9:10 Q4: There it is! First triple-double in WNBA Finals history, recorded by Connecticut’s Alyssa Thomas (video below). Thomas’ assist on the layup by DeWanna Bonner gives her 14 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Sun lead 83-69. Additionally, Thomas’ 15 boards is a new postseason career high, and she also becomes the first player to record a triple-double in both a regular season contest (two) and postseason contest in a single season.

5:37 Q4: Nearly midway through the fourth quarter, DiJonai Carrington makes two free throws to give the Sun a 92-76 lead. Carrington has nine points and one steal off the bench.

4:22 Q4: Aces head coach Becky Hammon takes out her starters, obviously preparing for a Game 4 in Connecticut. Jackie Young leads all scorers with 22 points, while A’ja Wilson has 19 points, Kelsey Plum 17 and Chelsea Gray 11. Sun lead, 94-76.

0:00 Q4: The Sun pull off the win to keep their championship dreams alive, closing with a 19-0 run to beat the Aces 105-76.

Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun, Game 3: Third-quarter live updates

8:59 Q3: The Sun start the third quarter with five unanswered points including a three from DeWanna Bonner (video below), pushing the lead to 58-42. The Sun set two WNBA Finals records in the first half, scoring the most points in the first quarter of a WNBA Finals game (34) and the most assists in any half of an WNBA Finals game (19).

2:56 Q3: Courtney Williams’ jumper from 21 feet makes it 73-61 and all five Sun starters are now in double-digit points. Jonquel Jones leads Connecticut with 18 points.

1:31 Q3: A’ja Wilson’s layup makes it a nine-point game, at 75-66.

0:00 Q3: The Aces win the third quarter, 27-24, but the Sun maintain their advantage and head into the fourth quarter up 77-69.

Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun, Game 3: Second-quarter live updates

8:35 Q2: The Sun pick up where they left off in the first quarter, making two unanswered buckets including a three from Natisha Hiedeman to extend the lead to 20 points (39-19).

6:17 Q2: A’ja Wilson ends a five-minute scoring drought for Last Vegas, but the Aces still lag behind by 20 points (41-21).

26.8 Q2: As the second quarter winds down, Connecticut maintains its commanding lead at 53-39. However three Aces players — Wilson, Chelsea Gray (video below) and Jackie Young have all reach double digits in scoring.

0:00 Q2: Huge three from Kelsey Plum (video below), who swishes it from 41 feet at the buzzer, cutting the Aces’ deficit to 11 points at the half (53-42).

Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun, Game 3: First-quarter live updates

9:35 Q1: Newly named All-WNBA First Team selection A’ja Wilson gets the first points (video below) on the board for Vegas for the third straight game.

4:58 Q1: Midway through the first quarter and Aces lead, 15-11 behind nine points from Jackie Young (video below). She had just five points in Game 2.

3:15 Q1: The Sun take their first lead of Game 3 on a bucket from DeWanna Bonner, 19-17.

2:13 Q1: DeWanna Bonner swishes a three-pointer in what feels like a change in momentum for Connecticut. The Sun have scored 30 points on 12-of-15 shooting (80%).

0:00 Q1: The Sun finish the quarter on a 10-1 run and lead by 15 at 34-19. Jonquel Jones (video below) has 18 points while Alyssa Thomas is one assist away from a triple-double (12 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists).

Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun, Game 3 pre-game: A’ja Wilson leads All-WNBA team selections

Ahead of Game 3 of the WNBA Finals, the league announces its All-WNBA selections, featuring 2022 WNBA MVP and Las Vegas forward A’ja Wilson and Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart as unanimous first-team picks. Joining them on this year’s First Team are Aces guard Kelsey Plum, Phoenix Mercury guard Skylar Diggins-Smith and Chicago Sky center-forward Candace Parker.

This year’s All-WNBA Second Team includes Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas, New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu, Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike, Sun forward Jonquel Jones and Minnesota Lynx center Sylvia Fowles. This marks the eighth all-WNBA Team selection for Fowles, who retired at the end of this season.

WNBA Finals Game 3: What’s at Stake

  • The Connecticut Sun look to stave off elimination in their first game at home since Game 4 of their semifinals series win vs. the Seattle Storm on Sept. 6. The No. 3 seeded Sun hope home-court advantage will provide the boost they need in pursuit of the franchise’s first-ever WNBA title. The Sun have previously qualified for the WNBA Finals three times (most recently in 2019).
  • Now in their fifth year as the Las Vegas Aces, the franchise is looking to capture its first WNBA title under first-year head coach and 2022 WNBA Coach of the Year Becky Hammon. This marks the second time the Aces have appeared in the Finals, after losing in a three-game sweep to the Seattle Storm in 2020. Las Vegas looks to extend its lead to 2-0 before heading to Connecticut for Game 3 on Thursday.

Refresher: Aces take 2-0 series lead behind A’ja Wilson’s second straight double-double

The Las Vegas Aces extended their advantage over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday, winning Game 2 of their best-of-five WNBA Finals series in decisive fashion, 85-71. The 2022 WNBA MVP, A’ja Wilson, powered the Aces with a game-high 26 points and 10 rebounds, while Chelsea Gray (21 points, eight assists) and Kelsey Plum (20 points, seven assists) punctuated the scoring with 20-point performances of their own.

The Sun were paced by Courtney Williams with 18 points and five assists. Also in double figures were Jonquel Jones (16 points, 11 rebounds) and Alyssa Thomas (13 points), while Brionna Jones came off the bench to score 12.

What they’re saying ahead of Game 3 between Las Vegas Aces and Connecticut Sun:

Sun coach Curt Miller on approach to must-win Game 3: “You can’t think big picture. That becomes overwhelming and daunting and feels, at times, bigger. It’s too big. So you’ve got to drill it down. … All we’ll talk about is Game 3, and in particular, all we are going to talk about is the first quarter, and that’s our approach. I think if you start thinking we have to win three in a row, we have to do those kind of things, it becomes big. So we are going to talk about Game 3 and Game 3 only and be ready for that first quarter.”

Aces’ head coach Becky Hammon on balancing “the excitement of going up 2-0 but staying locked in”: “I mean, I don’t see any banners. I don’t see any balloons. Sure as hell glad I didn’t see that confetti again because we ain’t won nothing yet.”

Sun’s Jonquel Jones on mindset for Game 3: “We have another opportunity. That’s why it’s a series, and like I said before, we’re going home and we’re going in front of our fans and we are going to use it to help us win the game.”

Aces’ Chelsea Gray on what it will take to close out the series: “I would say, ‘Not look too far ahead.’ We have to focus on winning that first quarter and winning that second quarter, and the big picture will happen. It’s the little things that gets the wins. It’s not like at the end you try to go and out-score somebody. It’s the little things. It’s the rebounding. It’s playing for each other — one more pass, one more play — and that’s what we have been doing all playoffs. We have to be able to do that for Game 3.”

Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun: Leading scorers ahead of WNBA Finals’ Game 3

Aces leading scorers (postseason points average):

  • Chelsea Gray, 23.3
  • A’ja Wilson, 21.6
  • Kelsey Plum, 17.4
  • Jackie Young, 11.3
  • Riquna Williams, 6.1

Sun leading scorers (postseason points average):

  • Jonquel Jones, 14.6
  • DeWanna Bonner, 12.0
  • Alyssa Thomas, 11.6
  • Brionna Jones, 10.4
  • Courtney Williams, 9.5

2022 WNBA Finals Schedule: Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun

Note: Games marked with an asterisk (*) are if necessary

  • Game 1: Sunday, Sept. 11 — Connecticut at Las Vegas
    • Las Vegas wins, 67-64 (3 p.m. ET on ABC)
  • Game 2: Tuesday, Sept. 13 — Connecticut at Las Vegas 
    • Las Vegas wins, 85-71 (9 p.m. ET on ESPN)
  • Game 3: Thursday, Sept. 15 — Las Vegas at Connecticut 
    • 9 p.m. ET on ESPN
  • Game 4*: Sunday, Sept. 18 — Las Vegas at Connecticut 
    • 4 p.m. ET on ESPN
  • Game 5*: Tuesday, Sept. 20 — Connecticut at Las Vegas
    • 9 p.m. ET on ESPN

MORE WNBA: 2022 WNBA Finals — Las Vegas vs. Connecticut schedule, how to watch, results

More Women's Sports News

Sloane Stephens of the US hits a return during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open.
Sloane Stephens gets candid about turning 30, favorite self-care practices...
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons celebrate with the trophy after winning the NCAA women’s Golf Championships.
2023 NCAA DI women’s golf championships: Wake Forest captures team...
Eun-Hee Ji of South Korea plays her shot from the second tee during the final round of The 2023 Chevron Championship.
2023 LPGA Match-Play: How to watch, who’s playing, format and more...

Sloane Stephens gets candid about turning 30, favorite self-care practices and freezing her eggs ahead of 12th French Open

By May 27, 2023, 12:57 PM EDT
Sloane Stephens of the US hits a return during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open.
Getty Images
0 Comments

Sloane Stephens calls the French Open – the second Grand Slam of the tennis season – one of her favorite events of the year, and it’s not hard to understand why: The 30-year-old Stephens owns 32 victories on the “terre battue” in Paris, where she finished runner-up in 2018. The current world No. 35 looks to increase that number when she faces off against No. 16 Karolina Pliskova in first-round action, which begins Sunday.

Roland-Garros is Stephens’ most successful major in terms of match wins at 32-11. Her record at the U.S. Open, where she won the title in 2017, currently stands at 24-10, while she’s 14-11 at Wimbledon. She stands 12-11 at the Australian Open, where she fell in the first round earlier this year to Russia’s Anastasia Potapova.

The Florida native arrives in Paris with 11 events in 2023 under her belt, including her first WTA 125 title at the L’Open 35 de Saint Malo earlier in May. Stephens entered the tournament last-minute following a first-round loss at the Madrid Open, but she rebounded by dropping just one set in four matches en route to the clay-court final, which she won in straight sets over Greet Minnen on May 7.

On Her Turf sat down with Stephens ahead of the 2023 French Open to talk about a wide range of topics including Rolland-Garros, turning 30, mental health advocacy, her favorite self-care practices, freezing her eggs and more.

You can watch the 2023 French Open on NBC, the Tennis Channel and Peacock. Click here for the full schedule.

RELATED: 2023 French Open — Dates, schedule, how to watch on NBC and Peacock

This Q+A has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

On Her Turf: Let’s start with some general takeaways… What are your thoughts on your season so far?

Sloane Stephens: Definitely started off slow, but we’ve been here before, so not too worried. …I was able to go play in St. Malo, which was great, because I needed to get a bunch of matches, and I was able to pick up a title there, which was really nice. Clay-court season is my favorite season, so I’m really happy to be able to play a lot of matches at the beginning (of the season). … It’s been a tough start this season. I haven’t done as well as I would have liked to, but again, that’s just tennis. And I think now I’ve kind of picked up some momentum. And yeah, playing in my favorite season of the year, the clay-court season is always nice. And being able to win matches and collect a lot of points is always good. So just been trying to keep the momentum going from here.

OHT: Regarding what you just said – “It’s just tennis” – Could you talk a little more about your perspective, dealing with that up-and-down start to a season? Knowing it’s a long season, how do you keep yourself from judging your whole year based on how it started?

Stephens: I think having perspective instead of over-analyzing. Only one person can win every week, right? … It’s all about finding that balance: It’s not getting overly happy and joyous when you’re winning and not getting so depressed that you want to quit tennis when it’s not going well. … And part of it is managing the workload and managing the travel and the logistics. You know, you don’t work a nine-to-five (job), you don’t go into work every day. And it’s the same thing for everyone. Like everyone’s routines are messed up, everyone’s schedule is different. Everyone’s losing their bags, everyone’s flights are super expensive. There’s all of these things that go into it that you really can’t get so upset about, because it’s happening to everyone. Everyone’s managing it, and whoever is managing the very best is probably the No. 1 player in the world. And there can be someone who’s managing really great and they’re No. 50 in the world. So it’s all about perspective.

OHT: Speaking of managing stress, can you talk about how wearing fitness technology (Stephens has been a brand ambassador for WHOOP since 2021) has helped you, and how do you incorporate it into your routine?

Stephens: I think for myself, as a professional athlete, it really helps you gauge where your body is in its recovery and how it’s recovering. WHOOP actually gives you the data … and I think that’s where the stress monitor comes in. Because like I said, like, you can already see like if your body’s recovering or not recovering, and then on top of it, how much stress are you putting on your body with a 10-percent recovery day? What does that look like? Are you gonna get injured? Are you gonna get sick? Are you going to be a couch potato? For myself, I know if I have two days that are in the red and I’m going really hard, I’m gonna have three days where I’m like, “Don’t call me; I’m not going to be able to do anything.” And before, I never really knew why that was happening, so I’m able to just be way more alert and attentive to like what my body needs, especially now that I’ve gotten older. I wish I had this when I was 21, because then I’d be the hero of self-care and recovery and HRV (heart rate variability) and monitoring — all of these things. Whereas now I’m old, and it really does make a difference. I really actually need to be paying attention to these things.

OHT: Speaking of self-care… what are some of your current self-care practices and how did it feel to hit the milestone of turning 30 this year (which by the way is not old!)?

Stephens: It’s been totally fine. I don’t feel any different at all, really, which is good. I think in terms of “old,” I’m definitely not old, but in tennis terms I am. There are girls on tour who are 17 and 16, and I don’t even remember what it was like when I was 16 playing on the tour — it was just so long ago. …My self-care journey has changed as I’ve gotten older, as I’ve experienced more things, as I’ve traveled the world. When I get to a new city and I’m needing to relax, I’ll try to find where can I get a facial? Where can I get my nails done? I like to do things alone — I don’t know why, I think it’s just part of being a tennis player. I’m used to having to do things alone. So for me, I can take my headphones and my show and go get my nails done, go have lunch by myself, all of those things. To me, that’s very relaxing, and I love it. …But being on the road — so much has really changed how I view self-care. I’ve definitely made it my mission to be more active when I’m on the road, to implement those things I love throughout my day and then be more active in terms of finding places to get facials or get my hair done and just kind of going for it.

OHT: I want to ask about your mom: She was a standout collegiate athlete (Sybil Smith was an All-American swimmer at Boston University) and a Harvard-educated psychologist. How has she informed your approach to self-care and mental health as a professional athlete?

Stephens: My mom, she’s so freakin’ cool. She’s so awesome. We actually do a lot of (self-care) stuff together. We really look forward to like doing those things and having self-care days. …But I think she also knows how important it is to have that time to take care of yourself and have that time alone, too, to recharge and regroup. She’s encouraged me both ways, just because she knows how helpful it can be.

OHT: You mentioned that you like doing things alone when you’re on the road, but I read in a recent article where you note that being a professional tennis player can be very lonely and can take a toll on your mental health, which is a topic you regularly address. Why is it important to you address mental health awareness and where does that comfort level talking about it come from?

Stephens: I would definitely say my mom. I’ve obviously been in therapy pretty much in my whole life, so I’m very open with that. And I think being a tennis player, traveling the world, it’s a very unique experience. I travel with a coach, a physio, sometimes a friend, so it’s like I’m never truly alone. …But during COVID, we weren’t allowed to leave our rooms for probably a better part of a year and a half, and I think that’s when the loneliness came in. All through COVID I was seeing a therapist and post COVID, still continuing to see my therapist, and really just finding the balance in my life. That makes the most sense for me.

OHT: It also appears that you have a good relationship with your followers on social media. In particular, it’s been really interesting to follow your journey through freezing your eggs and talking about your reproductive health. Why has that been important for you to engage in that conversation publicly?

Stephens: I’ve always been scared of childbirth, and since I was like 18, I’ve thought I’m definitely having a surrogate, like, this is what I’m putting my mind to, I’m going to freeze my eggs. And now, as I’ve gotten older and have read more about it, and really educated myself about the maternal mortality rate for black women – it’s a very scary thing. For me, egg freezing is something that I’ve always wanted to do, I’ve always been very interested in it, and now I get to share (what I’ve learned). There are so many girls on the tour who are interested. But for a female tennis player, the process takes like three weeks, which is a bit long. You know, men are free to do whatever they want, whenever they want. They don’t have to stop working. Their wives are at home, they’re having babies, and a lot of them now – some younger than me — bring their kids to the tournaments. And I’m like, “I’m 30, I have no kids.” And I totally envisioned having a baby at 27 or 28 and living a normal life. But for a professional tennis player, it’s not ideal. It’s just not possible. We do have a lot of moms on tour, which is the best. It’s just very complicated. The reproductive system is a very complicated thing … I’m on the player council, so I’m very invested in the girls on tour and their health and how they take care of themselves, and this was just something that fits into that — being able to freeze your eggs. Like Michelle Obama said the recently, “You can have it all, just not at the same time.”

OHT: Looking ahead to the 50th anniversary of the WTA this year, what are your thoughts as the organization celebrates this milestone?

Stephens: The WTA has come a long way, and it’s something I’ve been really proud to be a part of. I think obviously when Billie (Jean King) started the tour 50 years ago, I’m sure she didn’t think it would look like what it looks like now. So just being able to be a part of something like that, and I think we all want to leave the tour and tennis better than we found it. There are more initiatives, the pension program is better, there’s free egg freezing, and all of the other things that we want on our tour – those things are possible and we’re able to make that happen.

MORE FROM ON HER TURF: Q+A with Katherine Legge: Her decision to contest her third Indy 500, why the race is ‘bonkers’ and what she hopes to achieve

More Women's Sports News

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons celebrate with the trophy after winning the NCAA women’s Golf Championships.
2023 NCAA DI women’s golf championships: Wake Forest captures team...
Eun-Hee Ji of South Korea plays her shot from the second tee during the final round of The 2023 Chevron Championship.
2023 LPGA Match-Play: How to watch, who’s playing, format and more...
Katherine Legge, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
Q+A with Katherine Legge: Her decision to contest her third Indy 500, why...

2023 NCAA DI women’s golf championships: Wake Forest captures team title, Stanford’s Rose Zhang wins individual crown

By May 25, 2023, 9:30 AM EDT
0 Comments

Update: No. 3 Wake Forest captured its first-ever NCAA DI women’s golf national title on Wednesday, defeating No. 5 Southern California 3-1-0. Demon Deacons players Emilia Migliaccio, Rachel Kuehn and Lauren Walsh won their respective matches to clinch the 2023 title. Of note, Walsh took down USC’s Brianna Navarossa in the day’s anchor match — a day after Navarrossa beat Stanford’s Rose Zhang, who won the individual title on Monday. Wake Forest finished third in the stroke play portion of the competition to advance to match play. The Demon Deacons beat No. 6 Florida State in the quarterfinals before downing No. 7 Texas A&M to reach the national championship match, where they beat USC.

The 30-team field is set for the 2023 NCAA DI women’s golf championships, set for May 19-24 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, with defending champion Stanford leading the charge among the six regional qualifying tournaments that wrapped on Wednesday. The Cardinal recorded both the best team and individual scores of the week, posting a combined for 50-under par to win the Pullman (Washington) regional by 17 shots.

Stanford sophomore Rose Zhang, who won the 2022 individual NCAA title, led the Cardinal with a score of 19-under over three rounds, highlighted by an 8-under 64 in her first round on Monday. Zhang set a new NCAA record for the low 54-hole score at Regionals by three shots at Palouse Ridge Golf Club, while her team obliterated the NCAA 54-hole team scoring mark by 17 strokes. The Pullman Regional produced the five lowest team scores of the week, as four teams (Stanford, Clemson, Southern California, Baylor) shot better than 20-under.

Other notable performances came from Arizona, which rallied on Wednesday to win the Raleigh Regional, while the Georgia defended its home course in the Athens Regional, holding off a late push from South Carolina. Also advancing out of Athens was No. 11 seed Augusta, who will make its first appearance at nationals in program history. In the Westfield Regional, Mississippi State won its first-ever regional tournament, while Michigan State won the Palm Beach Regional to also mark a program first. Pepperdine and SMU finished tied atop the leaderboard in the San Antonio Regional.

This year marks the first time in women’s tournament history that that five teams will advance from each regional rather than four (increasing the field from 24 to 30 teams). In January, the NCAA gained approval to increase the number of schools moving on to nationals, aligning it with the number of teams in the men’s championships.

The Stanford Cardinal are the defending champions, beating the Oregon Ducks in the 2022 finals at Grayhawk GC. Stanford sophomore Rose Zhang will aim to defend her individual title as well, and looks to keep the momentum rolling this spring after wins at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and Pac-12 Championships, where she claimed her 10th career collegiate title to set a new Cardinal record.

Read on as On Her Turf breaks down all you need to know about this year’s championships, and be sure to check back here for updates and results as the tournament progresses.

Matchups and results

On Monday, Stanford sophomore Rose Zhang became the first women’s player to ever win consecutive NCAA individual titles on Monday at Grayhawk Golf Club. Zhang finished at 10-under 278 after 54 holes, beating USC’s Catherine Park and San Jose State’s Lucia Lopez-Ortega by one stroke. Complete scoring details can be found here.

Quarterfinals matchups and results:

  • Match 1: No. 7 Texas A&M defeats No. 2 Texas, 3-1
  • Match 2: No. 3 Wake Forest defeats No. 6 Florida State, 3-1
  • Match 3: No. 1 Stanford defeats No. 8 Pepperdine, 3-1
  • Match 4: No. 5 Southern California defeats No. 4 South Carolina, 3-1

Semifinal matchups and results:

  • Match 5: No. 3 Wake Forest defeats No. 7 Texas A&M, 3-0-0
  • Match 6: No. 5 Southern California defeats No. 1 Stanford, 3-1-0

Championship matchup and results:

  • Match 7: No. 3 Wake Forest defeats No. 5 Southern California, 3-1-0

How to watch the 2023 NCAA DI women’s golf championships

You can watch the 2023 NCAA DI women’s golf championships on Golf Channel, Peacock, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Check out the complete TV and streaming schedule:

  • Monday, May 22: 5 p.m. ET (final round, individual stroke play), Golf Channel and Peacock
  • Tuesday, May 23: Noon ET (quarterfinals, team matches) and 5 p.m. ET (semifinals, team matches), Golf Channel and Peacock
  • Wednesday, May 24: 5 p.m. ET (national championship team match), Golf Channel and Peacock

ALSO FROM ON HER TURF: 2023 JM Eagle LA Championship — How to watch, who’s playing in inaugural LPGA event at familiar Wilshire CC venue

Who’s playing in the 2023 NCAA DI women’s golf championships?

UPDATE: Stanford, Texas, Wake Forest, South Carolina, Southern California, Florida State, Texas A&M and Pepperdine advanced to match play.

FINALS FIELD

Thirty teams — five from each of the six regions — qualified for the finals, May 19-24 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. Also qualifying were six individuals (one from each regional site) whose teams did not advance. They are:

Athens Regional:   

  • 1. Georgia
  • 2. South Carolina
  • 3. San Jose State
  • 4. Ole Miss
  • 5. Augusta
  • Individual: Leon Takagi – Kent State

Palm Beach Gardens Regional:   

  • 1. Michigan State
  • 2. Duke
  • T-3. Texas
  • T-3. Northwestern
  • 5. LSU
  • Individual: Sara Byrne – Miami (FL)

Pullman Regional: 

  • 1. Stanford
  • 2. Clemson
  • 3. Southern California
  • 4. Baylor
  • 5. Texas Tech
  • Individual: Tiffany Le – UC Riverside

Raleigh Regional:

  • 1. Arizona
  • 2. NC State
  • 3. Wake Forest
  • 4. TCU
  • 5. Florida State
  • Individual: Dorota Zalewska – Chattanooga

San Antonio Regional Site: 

  • T-1. Pepperdine
  • T-1. SMU
  • T-3. Oklahoma State
  • T-3. Texas A&M
  • 5. New Mexico
  • Individual: Camryn Carreon – UTSA

Westfield Regional:    

  • 1. Mississippi State
  • 2. Oregon State
  • 3. Vanderbilt
  • 4. Virginia
  • 5. Tulsa
  • Individual: Isabella McCauley – Minnesota

Past NCAA DI women’s golf champions 

The NCAA DI women’s golf championships went to a combination stroke-play and match-play format in 2015. The previous format was strictly stroke play (72 holes) from the championships’ inception in 1982 through 2014.

YEAR TEAM CHAMPION COACH SCORE RUNNER-UP INDIVIDUAL CHAMP (school, score) LOCATION
2022 Stanford Anne Walker 3-2 Oregon Rose Zhang (Stanford, 282) Grayhawk Golf Club, Scottsdale, AZ
2021 Ole Miss Kory Henkes 4-1 Oklahoma State Rachel Heck (Stanford, 280) Grayhawk Golf Club, Scottsdale, AZ
2020 n/a (pandemic) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
2019 Duke Dan Brooks 3-2 Wake Forest Maria Fassi (Arkansas, 211*) Blessings Golf Club, Fayetteville, AR
2018 Arizona Laura Ianello 3-2 Alabama Jennifer Kupcho (Wake Forest, 280) Karsten Creek Golf Club, Stillwater, OK
2017 Arizona State Missy Farr-Kaye 3-1-1 Northwestern Monica Vaughn (Arizona State, 275) Rich Harvest Farms, Sugar Grove, IL
2016 Washington Mary Lou Mulflur 3-2 Stanford Virginia Elena Carta (Duke, 272) Eugene Country Club, Eugene, OR
2015 Stanford Anne Walker 3-2 Baylor Emma Talley (Alabama, 285) The Concession Golf Club, Bradenton, FL

*Stroke play shortened to three rounds.

What format is used for the 2023 NCAA DI women’s golf championships?

Thirty teams and six individuals will make up the field for the 2023 NCAA DI women’s golf championships, set for May 19-24 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, and hosted by Arizona State and The Thunderbirds. All teams and individual competitors will compete in 54 holes of stroke play (May 19-21), with the top 15 teams and nine individuals not on an advancing team moving on for one additional day of stroke play (May 22), which will determine the eight teams for the match-play competition as well as the individual champion.

Any ties after 54 holes – either to determine the teams or individuals who’ll advance to the final round of stroke-play – will be broken by sudden-death playoff. Additionally, ties to determine the eight teams advancing to match play — as well as the individual champion — also will be broken by sudden-death playoff.

Following the conclusion of 72 holes of stroke play, the top eight teams will advance to single-elimination match play, with seeds determined by the team results. A total of five points will be available in each round, with the first team to three points winning. Once a team has won three individual matches, any remaining individual matches will be halted at that point, and the score recorded as it currently stood. Quarterfinals and semifinals are set for May 23, with the finals on May 24.

Regionals rewind: 72 teams take aim at qualifying for nationals

Regional action took place May 8-10 at six regional sites, featuring 72 teams and 36 individuals (396 competitors total). Twenty-seven conferences received automatic bids to regional championships, with each regional site hosting 12 teams and six individuals. The top five teams and the low individual not on an advancing team from each regional site moved on to the national championships, set for May 19-24 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Committee announced the teams and individuals for each of six regional tournaments on April 26, with Stanford, Wake Forest, LSU, South Carolina, Mississippi State and Texas A&M all earning No. 1 seeds. The SEC led the way with 13 conference programs securing spots in the regional fields (including four No. 1 seeds), followed by the Big Ten and Pac-12 with eight each, and the ACC and Big 12 with seven.

Each regional hosted 12 teams and six individuals competing in a 54-hole tournament, with the top five teams — along with the low individual not on an advancing team — from each site qualifying for nationals at Grayhawk. The six regional sites, including selected teams and individuals, were as follows (includes seeding; conference automatic qualifiers indicated in parentheses):

PULLMAN REGIONAL

Palouse Ridge Golf Club in Pullman, Washington; hosted by Washington State

Teams:

  • 1. Stanford
  • 2. Baylor
  • 3. Southern California (Pac-12 Conference)
  • 4. Clemson (Atlantic Coast Conference)
  • 5. Kentucky
  • 6. Texas Tech
  • 7. Houston
  • 8. North Carolina
  • 9. UNLV
  • 10. Sacramento State (Big Sky Conference)
  • 11. Cal Poly (Big West Conference)
  • 12. Green Bay (Horizon League)

Individuals:

  • Camille Boyd, Washington
  • Tiffany Le, UC Riverside
  • Harriet Lynch, Fresno State
  • Darcy Habgood, Washington State
  • Stefanie Deng, Washington
  • Cassie Kim, Gonzaga

WESTFIELD REGIONAL

The Club at Chatham Hills Golf Course in Westfield, Indiana; hosted by Indiana and Indiana Sports Corp

Teams:

  • 1. Mississippi State
  • 2. Oregon
  • 3. Vanderbilt
  • 4. Iowa State
  • 5. Virginia
  • 6. Tulsa
  • 7. Tennessee
  • 8. Michigan
  • 9. Oregon State
  • 10. Xavier (Big East Conference)
  • 11. Lipscomb (ASUN Conference)
  • 12. Morehead State (Ohio Valley Conference)

Individuals:

  • Isabella McCauley, Minnesota
  • Carmen Griffiths, Louisville
  • Luisamariana Mesones, Minnesota
  • Sofia Torres, Colorado State
  • Lauren Beaudreau, Notre Dame
  • Sabrina Coffman, Cleveland State (Horizon League)

RALEIGH REGIONAL 

Lonnie Poole Golf Course in Raleigh, North Carolina; hosted by NC State

Teams:

  • 1. Wake Forest
  • 2. Arizona State
  • 3. Florida State
  • 4. Florida
  • 5. Arizona
  • 6. North Texas (Conference USA)
  • 7. TCU
  • 8. NC State
  • 9. Purdue
  • 10. Nebraska
  • 11. Campbell (Big South Conference)
  • 12. Richmond (Patriot League)

Individuals:

  • Dorota Zalewska, Chattanooga
  • Kendall Turner, James Madison
  • Mallory Fobes, UNCW
  • Morgan Ketchum, Virginia Tech
  • Becca DiNunzio, Virginia Tech
  • Sarah Kahn, High Point (Big South Conference)

ATHENS REGIONAL

University of Georgia Golf Course in Athens, Georgia; hosted by Georgia

Teams:

  • 1. South Carolina
  • 2. San Jose State
  • 3. Ole Miss
  • 4. Ohio State
  • 5. Georgia
  • 6. Maryland
  • 7. Kent State (Mid-American Conference)
  • 8. Charleston (Colonial Athletic Association)
  • 9. Kansas
  • 10. Furman (Southern Conference)
  • 11. Augusta (Southland Conference)
  • 12. Sacred Heart (Northeast Conference)

Individuals:

  • Carla Bernat, Tulane
  • Mathilde Delavallade, Penn State
  • Mikhaela Fortuna, Oklahoma
  • Catie Craig, Western Kentucky (Conference USA)
  • Christy Chen, Boston U (Patriot League)
  • Isabella Gomez, Harvard (The Ivy League)

SAN ANTONIO REGIONAL

TPC San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas; hosted by UTSA and San Antonio Sports

Teams:

  • 1. Texas A&M (Southeastern Conference)
  • 2. Auburn
  • 3. Pepperdine
  • 4. Oklahoma State (Big 12 Conference)
  • 5. SMU (American Athletic Conference)
  • 6. UCLA
  • 7. New Mexico (Mountain West Conference)
  • 8. Denver (The Summit League)
  • 9. Illinois (Big Ten Conference)
  • 10. Sam Houston (Western Athletic Conference)
  • 11. ULM (Sun Belt Conference)
  • 12. Missouri State (Missouri Valley Conference)

Individuals:

  • Victoria Gailey, Nevada
  • Allysha Mae Mateo, BYU
  • Haley Vargas, Kansas State
  • Camryn Carreon, UTSA
  • Jasmine Leovao, Long Beach State (Big West Conference)
  • Alex Giles, Incarnate Word (Southland Conference)

PALM BEACH GARDENS REGIONAL

PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida; hosted by Florida Atlantic and Palm Beach County Sports Commission

Teams:

  • 1. LSU
  • 2. Texas
  • 3. Northwestern
  • 4. UCF
  • 5. Duke
  • 6. Michigan State
  • 7. California
  • 8. Arkansas
  • 9. Alabama
  • 10. South Florida
  • 11. Penn (The Ivy League)
  • 12. Quinnipiac (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)

Individuals:

  • Christin Eisenbeiss, North Florida
  • Sara Byrne, Miami (FL)
  • Yanjun Liu, Princeton
  • Karissa Kilby, FIU
  • Leah Onosato, Old Dominion (Sun Belt Conference)
  • Katherine Lemke, Creighton (Big East Conference)

Last year at Grayhawk Golf Club

The No. 1-ranked Stanford Cardinal captured their second national title — and first since 2015 — with a 3-2 win over the No. 2 Oregon Ducks at Grayhawk Golf Club, marking the first time that a No. 1 seed won the title since the tournament switched to match play in 2015. The Cardinal also became the first team since Arizona State in 2017 to win both the team and individual championship in the same year.

In the championship matches, Stanford’s Brooke Seay and Aline Krauter each won to give the Cardinal a 2-0 edge, but Oregon’s Briana Chacon and Tze-Han Lin tied it up with wins over Sadie Englemann and Rachel Heck, respectively. Stanford’s hopes rested on Rose Zhang, who closed out Sofie Kibsgaard Nielsen on the 17th hole, 3 and 1, and secured Stanford’s team title.

Earlier in the week, Zhang also secured the individual NCAA title, finishing four rounds of stroke play at 6-under 282. Despite a 3-over 75 in the final round, Zhang won by three shots over SJSU’s Natasha Adrea Oon, who finished solo second, followed by Texas A&M’s Jennie Park and LSU’s Ingrid Lindblad, who tied for third. Zhang became the second consecutive Cardinal to win the title following teammate Heck’s win in 2021. Heck and Zhang are the only two Stanford women to win the individual national championship, and each did so as freshmen.

More about Grayhawk Golf Club’s Raptor Course

This year marks the third straight year that the Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club will host the women’s NCAA golf championships. Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, less that 20 miles from the Arizona State campus, Grayhawk was designed by Tom Fazio and opened in 1995. The Raptor Course will play as a par 72 (36-36), stretching 6,384 yards, and is known for its generous fairways, large and undulated greens, and deep bunkers, which are especially noteworthy considering Fazio sculpted these features from what started as a flat piece of desert land.

Grayhawk GC also will host the men’s NCAA tournament May 26-31, but both tournaments move to the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa’s Champions Course in Carlsbad, California, for 2024. This year marks the eighth consecutive edition of the NCAA Division I Golf Championships that one course will host both the women’s and men’s championships in the same year in consecutive weeks.

The NBC Sports golf research team contributed to this report.

MORE FROM ON HER TURF: Kelsey Plum aims to ease transition from college to pros with inaugural ‘Dawg Class’

More Women's Sports News

Sloane Stephens of the US hits a return during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open.
Sloane Stephens gets candid about turning 30, favorite self-care practices...
Eun-Hee Ji of South Korea plays her shot from the second tee during the final round of The 2023 Chevron Championship.
2023 LPGA Match-Play: How to watch, who’s playing, format and more...
Katherine Legge, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
Q+A with Katherine Legge: Her decision to contest her third Indy 500, why...

Powered by WordPress VIP