Women's Golf Spring Turn Starts At UCF Challenge in Orlando
1/24/2026 3:00:00 PM | Women's Golf
The No. 24 Kent State Dr. Paula Treckel women's golf team makes their spring turn and starts the march home to the Mid-American Conference Championships with an appearance at the UCF Challenge, Presented by PDI. The Golden Flashes return to Orlando for their seventh appearance in eight years, after spending the weekend of the UCF Challenge in Puerto Rico last year.Â
In their last appearance at Orlando, the Golden Flashes finished 10th with a 4-over-par 868. Veronika Kedronova finished sixth as an individual, ending the tournament with a 6-under-par 210.
Tournament Information:
Event: The UCF Challenge, Presented by PDI
Host: Central Florida (UCF)
Location: Orlando, Fla.
Course: Eagle Creek Golf Club
Par/Yardage: 72 / 6,306 yards
Dates: January 26-28
Format: Stroke Play / 5-count-4 / 54 holes
Team Live-Scoring: https://scoreboard.clippd.com/tournaments/238740/scoring/team
Individual Live-Scoring: https://scoreboard.clippd.com/tournaments/238740/scoring/player
Kent State Lineup:
1 – Veronika Kedronova
2 – Leon Takagi
3 – Isabella Goyette
4 – Gracie Larsen
5 – Petra Babicova
I – Aryn Matthews
Participants:
- Host: Central Florida (UCF) (12)
- Auburn (7)
- Mississippi State (18)
- Baylor (21)
- Kent State (24)
- UNC Charlotte (63)
- Penn State (71)
- South Florida (81)
- South Alabama (82)
- Florida Gulf Coast (86)
- East Carolina (88)Â
- Abilene Christian (101)
- Nebraska (107)
- Old Dominion (124)
- North Florida (126)
- Northern Illinois (180)
Rankings via Scoreboard
Notes:
- The Golden Flashes had a successful fall start to the 2025-26 season, earning four top-three finishes and a team victory in the opening four events of the Fall. In the team's last outing, at the Landfall Tradition, the Golden Flashes finished 11th out of 18 teams, in a field that contained 12 other top-50 teams. The Flashes' team victory at the Wolverine Invitational in September, over a field that included nine power-conference opponents, was their first in a non-MAC Championship event since the Sunflower Invitational in October 2022.
- Veronika Kedronova notched her second consecutive win and fifth of her career with a 13-under par finish at the Landfall Tradition, amplified by a 7-under-par second round, finishing seven strokes ahead of second. Kedronova sits as the seventh-ranked golfer in the country by Clippd's rankings, having reached as high as fifth immediately following the Landfall Tradition.
- Leon Takagi finished in the top 11 of four of five Kent State events this Fall. The lone senior on Kent State's roster has posted five rounds of par or better and two rounds in the 60s through 14 rounds played this season. Takagi opened her season with three consecutive top-five finishes before tying for 11th at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational.Â
- Aryn Matthews recorded her best finish of the season at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational, where she finished in tenth for her second top-ten finish of her collegiate career. Matthews has finished in the top 20 of her last four appearances for the Flashes, fueled by five rounds of par or better this season.
- Petra Babicova is returning to the Kent State lineup following a tournament break. Her best finish this season is a top-40 finish at the Wolverine Invitational. Babicova has notched a top-5, top-10 and two top-20 finishes in her career.
- Isabella Goyette is looking to continue her streak, posting back-to-back top ten finishes in the late fall for Kent State. At the Blessings Collegiate Invitational, Goyette finished in ninth place after matching her season-best round with a 2-under-par 70 in round three.
- Gracie Larsen showed why she was named the 2024-25 MAC Freshman of the Year at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational. The sophomore from Australia finished in fifth place at 4-over-par, matching her career-best score in round two with a 1-under-par 71. Larsen increased her tally of rounds of par or better to ten in her collegiate career.
Follow Kent State Athletics
For complete coverage of Kent State Athletics, download the official Kent State Golden Flashes app (iOS, Android) and follow the Golden Flashes on social media on X, Instagram and Facebook for news and updates.
Players Mentioned
