2024-25 Cal State LA Women's Golf – Season Summary

LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's women's golf team enjoyed an outstanding 2024-25 season that was highlighted by a record three first-team All-California Collegiate Athletic Association selections, a first-ever solo team tournament win and a second straight appearance in the NCAA postseason.

The Golden Eagles achieved a new high of 26 in the final NCAA rankings from Scoreboard and received votes, finishing just outside of the top-25, from the Women's Golf Coaches Association. Cal State LA also earned its best-ever seeding of seventh in the West Region and climbed up one spot in the West Region championships, finishing sixth and just one spot out of a trip to the national championships.

The Golden Eagles made their presence known in a big way at the West Regionals, surprising the field by leading the tournament after an opening round that was played in tough conditions. After heavy rains postponed the second round, the tournament finished up with 36 holes on the third day. Cal State LA was still in third place after the conclusion of the second round, just two shots out of the lead, but slipped to sixth place and finished one spot outside of the top-five necessary to qualify for nationals.

Cal State LA shot rounds of 305, 291 and 298 for a 54-hole total of 894. The sixth-place finish was two spots better than the eighth-place finish Cal State LA achieved in 2023-24 in the Golden Eagles' first-ever NCAA appearance.

Morgan Sjoerdsma, who completed her outstanding Cal State LA career with a fourth regional appearance (twice as an individual and twice with the team), was a surprise individual leader of the tournament on the final day, building a five-shot lead at one point, before ultimately finishing in a tie for 10th. She became the first player in program history to lead a regional postseason competition.

The golf program was named Cal State LA's Team of the Year for the first time and head coach Hans Kersting was the Coach of the Year.

The Golden Eagles set a new program record with a 301.25 scoring average, eclipsing the 302.18 average from 2023-24, and they claimed the first solo tournament title in program history when they captured the Sonoma State Spring Invite by 10 shots in April. Cal State LA had claimed a share of the tournament title with Simon Fraser in 2024, but took the lead after the opening day in 2025 and never relinquished it.

In addition to the tournament victory, the Golden Eagles also finished second four times, fourth once, fifth once and sixth twice and were in the top-10 in all 11 tournaments in 2024-25.

Cal State LA was at its best late in the season. After winning the Sonoma State tournament, the Golden Eagles shook off a disappointing opening round and surged to a second-place in the CCAA Championships, matching the best finish in program history. The Golden Eagles were third after the first day, 22 shots off the lead, but they rebounded with a strong second round and then capped off the tournament with an amazing final round of 295, which was the best of the day by 12 shots.

Joshlyn Ayala led the turnaround. After opening with an 84, she bounced back with rounds of 74 and 69 and finished in a tie for third to earn All-Tournament honors. The 69 was the low round of the tournament and Ayala's best-ever finish at the conference tournament.

Daniela Andrade just missed an All-Tournament spot with a sixth-place finish after a final round of 72 and Sarah Amaya was the third Golden Eagle to finish in the top-10 with an eighth-place showing. 

The positive conference finish gave the Golden Eagles momentum heading into the regional championship, where, once again, Cal State LA set a new program standard with the sixth-place finish.

Ayala had the team's best scoring average for the first time with a career-best 74.88 average in 10 tournaments. She had four top-10 finishes, including the top-three at the CCAA Championships and a fifth-place finish at the LA Spring Kickoff, where she led the tournament after the opening round. She also set a program record with a round of 67 in the middle round of the National Preview in October where she finished 13th.

Andrade won the second individual tournament championship of her career when she shared the Tim Tierney Pioneer Classic title after rounds of 70 and 69. Her 36-hole total of 139 was the team's best of the season and matched the program record also held by Sjoerdsma.

Sjoerdsma completed her career with another outstanding season. She had five top-10 finishes, including the close call at the NCAA West Regional and ta second-place finish at the LA Spring Kickoff where she had rounds of 74 and 70. She also had a strong showing at the National Preview, where she had rounds of 68-72-68 to finish in a tie for sixth.

Richardson was a key member of the starting lineup for the Golden Eagles and had a season average of 77.39 in nine tournaments. She shot the best round of her Cal State LA career with a 70 on her way to a third-place finish at the Sonoma State Spring Invite and she was one of the team's top players at the CCAA Championships, where she finished in a tie for 16th, her best at the conference tourney.

Amaya had some outstanding performances in her second season with the program, most notably her sixth-place finish at the CCAA Tournament. She also had a third-place finish at the Sonoma State Spring Invitational for the best finish in her Cal State LA career. She also finished in a tie for 16th at the Swan Memorial and had a scoring average of 78.65 in seven tournaments.

Cal State LA also got positive contributions from Carissa Freeman, Brenna Ozel and Lehapi Veikune throughout the season.

Freeman was the fifth Golden Eagle to shoot a round under par with a career-best 1-under-par 71 in the final round of the National Preview, which was her first tournament of the season. She had a scoring average of 77.40 in four tournaments.

Brenna Ozel had a strong season for the Golden Eagles in her one year with the program after transferring from Sonoma State. She competed in six tournaments and a total of 15 rounds for the Golden Eagles and had a scoring average of 77.67. Her best finish was a tie for 18th at the Sonoma State Spring Invitational.

Veikune, a junior transfer from College of the Desert, showed some great promise in her first year with the program. She had a pair of even-par rounds of 72 to highlight her season, including in the final round of the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout, where she finished in a tie for 12th. She had a scoring average of 77.73 in five tournaments and 11 rounds.

All five members of the postseason starting rotation - Amaya, Andrade, Ayala, Richardson and Sjoerdsma - earned CSC Academic All-District honors and the team is expected to have several players earn conference and WGCA academic honors later this summer.

Cal State LA Women's Golf
2024-25 Final Team National Ranking: 26 (Scoreboard)
2024-25 WGCA Final Regular-Season Ranking: RV
2024-25 Final West Super Region Ranking: 7
2024-25 Individual National Ranking: Morgan Sjoerdsma (94), Daniela Andrade (109), Joshlyn Ayala (113)
CCAA Finish: 2nd
All-CCAA: Morgan Sjoerdsma (1^st team), Daniela Andrade (1st team), Joshlyn Ayala (1st team)
CCAA Golfer of the Week: Morgan Sjoerdsma (Week of Sept. 5-11), Daniela Andrade (Week of Feb. 17-25)
CSC Academic All-America: Morgan Sjoerdsma (3rd team)
CSC Academic All-District: Sarah Amaya, Daniela Andrade, Joshlyn Ayala, Harley Richardson, Morgan Sjoerdsma
WGCA All-American Scholar Team: Sarah Amaya, Daniela Andrade, Joshlyn Ayala, Brenna Ozel, Harley Richardson, Morgan Sjoerdsma
CCAA Spring Academic Honor Roll: Sarah Amaya, Daniela Andrade, Joshlyn Ayala, Carissa Freeman, Brenna Ozel, Harley Richardson, Morgan Sjoerdsma
2024-25 CCAA All-Academic: Sarah Amaya, Daniela Andrade, Joshlyn Ayala, Carissa Freeman, Harley Richardson
2024-25 D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award: Daniela Andrade, Joshlyn Ayala, Carissa Freeman, Brenna Ozel, Harley Richardson, Morgan Sjoerdsma