The women’s golf team traveled to Cortland, N.Y. to compete in the Martin and Wallace Invitational, hosted by SUNY Cortland. Despite the first day, April 13, of the tournament being canceled due to unfavorable weather conditions, the Panthers demonstrated resilience throughout the weekend. The team ended up fifth place out of 15 teams with a team total score of 309, showcasing their ability to adapt and compete under pressure.
The invitational was the Panthers’ first competition of the spring season.
Captain Sophia Hwang ’24 led the team with a 74 and a fifth place finish. Hwang described the weekend as a confirmation of the values the team strives to embody.
“It was kind of a testament to something we’ve been working on as a team; learning how to respond to a situation, not just react to it,” she said.
Mia Politano ’25, who carded a 78 en route to a 21st place finish, recounted the moment the tournament was canceled on Saturday, just as the group was gearing up to play.
“The first day when we showed up, we were all layered up — I think all of us were wearing at least five layers on the top and three on the bottom,” Politano told The Campus. “Then as soon as we got off the bus, the horn blew and they brought everyone in and they canceled the day.”
On Sunday, the Panthers showed up inspired by the prior day’s setbacks and eager to prove themselves. Competition on Sunday did not come without its own set of challenges, however — the tournament had already been shortened from 36 to 18 holes of total competition, and another lightning delay required players to seek safety indoors for a half hour before returning to finish up their rounds.
In the end, the team adapted well enough to finish fifth, down twelve strokes on the eventual winners Williams College and just two strokes shy of fourth-place finisher Hamilton College. The Panthers also finished just six strokes behind defending NESCAC champions Amherst College, a gap they would hope to close in a regular 36 hole tournament.
Chloe Levins ’20, who previously served as a team captain and rejoined the squad this year as an assistant coach, expressed her pride in the team’s performance.
“I think they did tremendously well, and they’re setting themselves up for a successful spring,” Levins said. “The girls we have on the team are extremely motivated — they are dedicated athletes and they are incredibly talented. It’s honestly been a pleasure to work with them so far this spring, and I’m looking forward to a few more events together and to finish out the spring season strong.”
The following weekend, the Panthers surged to a third-placed finish among a competitive field of 17 teams at the Jack Leaman Invitational hosted by Amherst College. Middlebury notably eclipsed Williams, Hamilton and New York University, all of whom had beaten them the previous week. Their performance was good enough for second in the NESCAC behind Amherst, and the Panthers posted the lowest score of any team to win the second day of competition in an impressive display of resolve.
Audrey Tir ’25 paced the Panthers with a two-day total of 152, after recording the lowest individual score of any player on the second day.
Looking ahead, the Panthers are eager to showcase their skills at the NESCAC Championships, hosted by Williams on May 4–5.
With just two tournaments behind them in their buildup to the conference championship, the end of the season is in sight. If Hwang and her teammates stay calm and continue to keep their cool, they might be within striking distance of their first NESCAC title — Hwang described these as the keys to success in the remainder of their short, yet intense season.
“[We are] balancing the nerves and figuring out what we can do to best prepare ourselves for the matches ahead,” Hwang added.
With each challenge they overcome, Middlebury women’s golf reaffirms their dedication to their sport, leaving no doubt that they are ready to dominate the remainder of the spring season.
