Blythewood, S.C. – Western Carolina women's golf matched Monday's opening round with a team score of 309 through Wednesday's final 18 holes at the 2026 Southern Conference Women's Golf Championship, finishing eighth overall with a three-round total of 949 as competition concluded at the par-72, 6,089-yard Columbia Country Club.
 
Sophomore Elsa Maren Steinarsdôttir used a strong start to her season's final 18 holes on Wednesday, shooting even-par 72 to climb 10 positions in the standings to lead the Catamounts in a three-way tie for 14th-place with a three-round score of 12-over par 228. She was one of just six golfers to shoot even-par or better on Wednesday, tied with one other as the biggest gainer in the championship round.
 
Furman shot a 13-over-par 301 to close out the tournament, fending off hard-charging Chattanooga by two strokes to claim the team title. The Paladins maintained their lead over the last 18 holes and held on to capture their ninth title in the last 11 tournaments and the 22nd championship in program history. 
 
With the championship win, the Paladins clinched the Southern Conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Regionals.
 
Chattanooga finished as the runner-up with a three-day total of 896, led by Makenzie Cooper, who was tied for third at 6-over after holding the opening-round lead. UNCG (910) finished third, three strokes clear of fourth-place Samford (913), with Mercer (921) moving in front of ETSU (925) for fifth and sixth. Rounding out the field were Wofford (926), WCU (949), and The Citadel (991).
 
Furman's Audrey Ryu carded a 1-over 73 in the final round, securing the individual title with a three-day total of 214 (–2).
 
Steinarsdôttir had a tremendous start to her final round, carding eight pars, including seven straight to start the day, with a birdie to make the turn for the final time at 1-under par. The Akranes, Iceland, product finished with three bogeys and two more birdies, moving back to even-par with her final birdie on the par-3, 150-yard eighth.
 
Steinarsdôttir finished the event tied for second with a team-best nine birdies, and was tied for fifth in par-3 scoring at 1-over par (3.08).
 
Senior EC Niebauer advanced three spots in the final order, matching her first-round tally of 5-over par 77 for a three-day total of 233. She carded her third birdie of the event three holes into Wednesday's round, finishing the day with 11 pars and six bogeys. Sophomore Annalee Caveney moved up a pair of spots, knocking a stroke off her second-round score by shooting 81 in round three. Niebauer carded 33 pars through her 54 holes, just ahead of Caveney, who had a combined 31.
 
After being forced to withdraw midway through Tuesday's round, senior Sadler Miller returned to the course and powered through her final collegiate round with a 7-over par 79, while sophomore Emily Rosenschein posted her best round of the event at 82, finishing 37th overall. Even though she wasn't credited with playing in the second round after her withdrawal, Miller carded six birdies in her final collegiate tournament.
 
Wednesday's tournament conclusion marks the end of the 2025-26 season for the Western Carolina women's golf team. The Catamounts posted seven Top 10 finishes as a team on the year, including a season-best sixth-place showing at the Terrier Intercollegiate, hosted by Wofford back in mid-October.
 
It also marks the conclusion of the collegiate playing careers of both transfer EC Niebuaer and two-sport standout Sadler Miller, who has also lettered in track & field during her Catamount career.
 
2026 SoCon Women's Golf Championship
Final Results – Wednesday, April 22
1 - Furman – 289-304-301 = 894 (+30) 
2 - Chattanooga – 292-311-293 = 896 (+32) 
3 - UNCG – 301-310-301 = 611 (+33) 
4 - Samford – 306-305-302 = 913 (+49) 
5 - Mercer – 310-307-304 = 921 (+57) 
6 - ETSU – 305-309 = 925-311 (+61) 
7 - Wofford – 314-308-307 = 926 (+62) 
8 - Western Carolina – 309-331-309 = 949 (+85) 
9 - The Citadel – 325-337-329 = 991 (+127)
 
8 – Western Carolina – 309 – 331 = 650 (+64)
T14 – Elsa Maren Steinarsdôttir – 75-81-72 = 228 (+12)
T21 – EC Niebauer – 77-79-77 = 233 (+17)
T31 – Annalee Caveney – 78-82-81 = 241 (+25)
37 – Emily Rosenschein – 92-89-82 = 263 (+47)
42 – Sadler Miller – 79-WD-79 = 214 (N/A)