Charlottesville, VA – The Virginia women’s golf team opens its 2021 season Sunday at the UCF Challenge in Orlando, Fla. The 17-team field will compete at Eagle Creek Golf Club (par 72, 6,349 yards) with 18 holes of competition slated for Sunday through Tuesday.
Per ACC guidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UVA did not compete in the fall. The Cavaliers’ last tournament action was last March at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate.
Virginia’s lineup at the UCF Challenge features senior Beth Lillie (Fullerton, Calif.), junior Riley Smyth (Cary, N.C.), sophomores Virginia Bossi (Como, Italy) and Celeste Valinho (Jacksonville, Fla.) and freshman Jennifer Cleary (Wilmington, Del.)
Last season, Bossi led the Hoos with a 73.00 stroke average while playing in all six events. Her stroke average set a program record for a first-year player. Smyth was second on the team with a 73.50 stroke average. She posted top-10 finishes in three of UVA’s six tournaments.
The 17-team field includes Arkansas, College of Charleston, Houston, Iowa State, Kennesaw State, Kent State, Kentucky, Miami, Michigan State, Mississippi State, NC State, Penn State, Purdue, UCF, UNC Wilmington and Wake Forest.
Periodic live scoring of the event is online at Golfstat.com.