2025-26 Cal State LA Women's Golf – Season Summary

LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's women's golf team enjoyed another strong 2025-26 season that was highlighted by a second-place finish in the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championships and a third straight appearance in the NCAA postseason.

The Golden Eagles were consistently challenging for tournament titles in 2025-26 and had three second-place finishes and four third-place finishes as a part of 10 top-10 finishes in 11 tournaments. Cal State LA got off to a sensational start and had top-three finishes in its first six tournaments, including a third-place finish at the LA Spring Kickoff, which the Golden Eagles hosted at the Rio Hondo Golf Club in Downey.

The Golden Eagles finished the season with a national ranking of 35 and had a scoring average of 303.21, which was the third-best in program history and just behind the record of 301.25 set in the 2024-25 season.

The Golden Eagles had runner-up finishes at the 14-team RJGA Shootout At Estrella, the NCAA West Regional Preview and the CCAA Championships. They stamped themselves as legitimate national contenders at the West Regional Preview, where they finished behind only Dallas Baptist and surged down the stretch for a second-place finish in the 21-team tournament. The Golden Eagles finished ahead of tourney host Colorado State-Pueblo, CCAA champion Cal State San Marcos and St. Mary's in a tournament filled with all of the region's top teams and played on the same course that was used for the NCAA West Regional in the spring.

Considering the competition and the strong second-place finish, it might have been the best performance in the program's history. 

The Golden Eagles were unable to duplicate that success when the top 18 teams in the region convened for the West Regional. Needing a top-five finish to advance to nationals for the first time in program history, the Golden Eagles, who earned the No. 8 seed for the tourney, struggled from start to finish and finished in a tie for 11th place, seven shots out of sixth place, but 18 out of fifth. Cal State LA had better scores each round - 322-319-307, but was unable to make up enough ground to reach nationals.

Cal State LA held onto a share of second place in the CCAA Championships, finishing second for a second straight season and for the third time in program history. Joshlyn Ayala finished third in the tournament for the second straight year and earned CCAA All-Tourament honors for a second time. Ayala shot a first-round of 69 and stayed in close contention for the lead until the final few holes.

Rilee Crosby had a top-10 finish and placed eighth, while Sarah Amaya finished 12th for the Golden Eagles.

Cal State LA had three players earn All-CCAA honors as Ayala and Daniela Andrade earned first-team honors and newcomer Talia Gutman received honorable mention. Ayala earned first-team honors for a second straight season, while Andrade made it for a third consecutive year.

Ayala set a new single-season program scoring record with a 74.57 scoring average and was Cal State LA's No. 1 golfer for a second straight year. She had seven top-10 finishes, including six in a row to start the season. 

Andrade earned another first-team All-CCAA honor after posting three top-10 finishes, including a second-place finish at the RJGA Palm Valley Classic that earned her CCAA Golfer of the Week honors for the third time in her career.

She was second on the team with a 76.29 scoring average.

Gutman set a new program single-round scoring record with a 66 in the second round of the East Bay Fall Invitational to highlight her season. She made an immediate impact the Golden Eagles and finished in a tie for second at the Swan Memorial in her first tournament for Cal State LA. She earned All-CCAA honorable mention for the second time in her career, after earning those honors previously at Sonoma State.

Crosby had a strong first season for the Golden Eagles and was the team's second-highest finisher at the CCAA Championships. She finished in a tie for eighth, marking her third top-10. She had her best finish at the Fujikura Invitational, where she placed in a tie for third. She also finished sixth at the RJGA Shootout at Estrella.

Lisette Orellana had a promising first season for the Golden Eagles and had her best finish at the LA Spring Kickoff, where she was tied for 13th overall. 

Amaya had her best finish of the season at the CCAA Championships, where she wound up in a tie for 12th and had the team's third-best finish. She had an opening round of 74 that matched her best round of the season.

Four Golden Eagles - Ayala, Andrade, Crosby and Gutman earned CSC Academic All-District honors and the team is expected to have several players earn conference and WGCA academic honors that will be awarded later this summer.

Cal State LA Women's Golf
2025-26 Final Team National Ranking: 35 (Scoreboard)
2025-26 Final West Super Region Ranking: 8
2025-26 Individual National Ranking: Joshlyn Ayala (59), Daniela Andrade (170), Talia Gutman (178)
CCAA Finish: T2
CCAA Individual Finishes: Joshlyn Ayala (3rd), Rilee Crosby (T8th), Sarah Amaya (12th), Daniela Andrade (T14), Talia Gutman (T14)
All-CCAA: Joshlyn Ayala (first team), Daniela Andrade (1st team), Talia Gutman (honorable mention)
CCAA Golfer of the Week: Joshlyn Ayala (Week of Sept. 10-16), Daniela Andrade (Week of April 1-7)
CSC Academic All-District: Joshlyn Ayala, Daniela Andrade, Rilee Crosby, Talia Gutman
WGCA All-American Scholar Team: TBA
CCAA Spring Academic Honor Roll: Sarah Amaya, Daniela Andrade, Joshlyn Ayala, Rilee Crosby, Talia Gutman, Lisette Orellana
2025-26 CCAA All-Academic: TBA
2025-26 D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award: TBA