STOCKTON -- Cal State LA's women's golf team put the finishing touches on its first-ever trip to the NCAA West Regionals on Wednesday.

The Golden Eagles finished eighth after shooting a final-round 306 in windy conditions at the Stockton Golf and Country Club. Cal State LA had a 54-hole total of 899 after rounds of 292, 301 and 306 and finished strong down the stretch to edge ninth-place Cal State Monterey Bay and 10th-place Biola.

West Texas A&M won the regional title with Dallas Baptist, Cal State East Bay, St. Mary's of Texas and Cal State San Marcos also earning a trip to the NCAA Championships later this month in Florida.

It was a learning experience for a young Golden Eagles team that has earned its first national Top-25 ranking from the Women's Golf Coaches Association and had a strong season that earned them their first trip as a team to regionals. 

"What a great experience for this team," Cal State LA head coach Hans Kersting said. "Today we fought through a difficult stretch of holes, and we played a fairly solid round otherwise. We proved that we belong at this level, and this experience will push us to greater heights next season. The team has a lot to feel good about."

Leading the way for the Golden Eagles was sophomore Joshlyn Ayala, who shot a sensational round of 1-over-par 73 on Wednesday and completed a wonderful tournament. She finished in a tie for 15th after rounds of 74-73-73 for a total of 220.

Ayala had three birdies on the difficult day. She birdied the par-4 11th hole (her second of the day) to get her round going. She hit a wedge to about six feet and sank an uphill putt for birdie. She bounced back from back-to-back bogeys with a birdie on the par-5 17th hole, reaching the green in two and then two-putting nicely from 40 feet.

Her final birdie came on the par-3 eighth hole when she hit a pitching wedge to the green and made an amazing 40-foot putt.

Ayala was just three shots away from qualifying for nationals as an individual.

Harley Richardson finished 44th in the field after rounds of 73, 75 and 80. She had a pair of birdies on Wednesday, firing a 9-iron to 12 feet and making the putt on the par-3 17th hole and she made a birdie on the par-5 fourth hole after chipping to within two feet of the pin.

Morgan Sjoerdsma, who was competing in her third straight regionals after qualifying as an individual in 2022 and 2023, finished in a tie for 45th after rounds of 72, 78 and 79 for a total of 229. She started her round brilliantly, making a pair of birdies on the 12th and 13th holes. She hit a pitching wedge to five feet on the par-3 12th hole and she hit an 8-iron to about four feet away on the par-4 13th hole.

Cal State LA's two outstanding freshmen, Sarah Amaya and Daniela Andrade, finished in a tie for 50th with a 54-hole score of 231.

Amaya had rounds of 73-82-76 and was off to a phenomenal start on Wednesday, going 2-under-par through her first 11 holes with two birdies and nine pars. She birdied the par-3 12th hole with a 9-iron to about six feet away and then birdied the par-4 15th hole with a hybrid from 173 yards out to about 1 1/2 feet from the pin.

Andrade had rounds of 78-75-78 and did a commendable job of holding her round together after a tough start. She had a pair of birdies after making the turn, hitting a wedge to three feet away on the par-4 second hole and then reaching the par-five fourth hole in two and two-putting from 40 feet.

NCAA West Regional
At Stockon Golf and Country Club
Team Results: 1. West Texas A&M 284-289-285 - 858; 2. Dallas Baptist 282-292-293 - 867; 3. Cal State East Bay 287-294-295 - 876, St. Mary's 292-295-289 - 876; 5. Cal State San Marcos 294-284-300 -- 878; 6. Colorado State-Pueblo 289-298-301 - 888; 7. Oklahoma Christian 289-299-301 -- 889; 8. Cal State LA 292-301-306 - 899; 9. Cal State Monterey Bay 302-292-308 - 902; 10. Biola 290-301-312 - 903; 11. Simon Fraser 295-306-312 - 913; 12. Midwestern State 296-304-314 - 914
Cal State LA Results
T15. Joshlyn Ayala 74-73-73 - 220; 44. Harley Richardson 73-75-80 - 228; 45. Morgan Sjoerdsma 72-78-79 - 229; T50. Sarah Amaya 73-82-76 - 231, T50. Daniela Andrade 78-75-78 - 231