University of Virginia WOMEN'S GOLF

University of Virginia: Quick Facts

  • Location: Charlottesville, Virginia
  • Founded: 1819 by Thomas Jefferson
  • No. 3 Public University in the Nation
  • No. 1 Public Law School (US News)
  • No. 1 Public Business School in the World (Financial Times, 2024)
  • A Public Ivy Institution
  • Nicknames: Cavaliers, Wahoos, Hoos
  • Mascot: Cavalier
  • Colors: Blue & Orange
  • Conference: Atlantic Coast Conference

Student-Athlete Resources

Click the links to explore resources available to Virginia Student-Athletes.

Virginia Athletics Master Plan

Virginia Women's Golf History

First Year of the Program

2002

NCAA National Championship Appearances

13

NCAA Regional Appearances

18

ACC Championship Titles

2

ACC Individual Champions

3

All-Americans

20

All-American Scholars

43

Augusta National Women's Amateur Invitations

7

PRACTICE FACILITIES

Watch the video below to hear Head Coach Ria Scott describe UVA's practice facilities and how they are best utilized by our team!

The Lew Oehmig Short Game Facility was built exclusively for the University of Virginia Golf teams. The facility has four greens, two wedge ranges, and five bunkers. Players can hit shots up to 190 yards on this 7 acre complete facility.
Another view of the Lew Oehmig Short Game Facility!

GOLF COURSES

Birdwood Golf Course

  • Owned by the University of Virginia and home of Virginia Golf
  • Renovation completed in 2020 by Davis Love III to create a championship course for the UVA Golf Teams
  • Serving as an NCAA Women's Golf Regional Site in 2025!

The Nest at Birdwood

  • Our 6-hole par three course!
  • Ranked #26 in Golfweek's Best 2023 Par 3, Short, and Non-traditional courses.
  • The Nest is just steps from the Dean Family Performance Center, making it a favorite of both programs.
  • With three sets of tees to choose from, holes range from 45 yards to 135 yards in length.

Farmington Country Club

Ranked 5th in the state of Virginia

Keswick Club

Ranked 9th in the state of Virginia

2023-2024 TEAM

Celeste Valinho

Graduate Student - Jacksonville, FL

  • Pursuing a masters degree in Commerce at McIntire
  • WGCA All-American Scholar (2021, 2022, 2023)
  • VaSID All-State Team (2022, 2023)
  • All-ACC Academic Team (2021, 2022, 2023)
  • ACC Academic Honor Roll (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
  • Competed in the 2018 U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball Championship

Jennifer Cleary

Fourth Year - Wilmington, DE

  • Majoring in Commerce
  • All-ACC Selection (2022)
  • WGCA All-American Scholar (2021, 2022, 2023)
  • VaSID All-State Team (2021, 2022, 2023)
  • All-ACC Academic Team (2021, 2022, 2023)
  • ACC Academic Honor Roll (2021, 2022, 2023)
  • VaSID Rookie of the Year (2021)

Rebecca Skoler

Fourth Year - Needham, MA

  • Majoring in Public Policy and Leadership at the Batten School
  • President of UVA Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC)
  • ACC Top Six for Service Award (2023)
  • Recipient of UVA's Distinguished Student-Athlete Scholarship Award (2023)
  • WGCA All-American Scholar (2023)
  • ACC All-Academic Team (2023)
  • ACC Academic Honor Roll (2021, 2022, 2023)
  • Massachusetts Golf Women's Amateur Champion (2023)

Megan Propeck

Third Year - Leawood, KS

  • Majoring in Commerce
  • WGCA All-American Scholar (2023)
  • ACC Academic Honor Roll (2022, 2023)
  • ACC All-Academic Team (2023)
  • Competed in the 2023 US Women's Open at Pebble Beach
  • 2020 Missouri Class 4 High School State Champion
  • Two-time Kansas Junior Amateur Champion

Amanda Sambach

Third Year - Pinehurst, NC

  • Majoring in Sociology
  • Golfweek All-American (2022, 2023, 2024)
  • WGCA All-American (2022, 2023, 2024)
  • ANNIKA Award Watch List (2023-2024)
  • ANNIKA Award Finalist (2023)
  • VaSID State Golfer of the Year (2022-2023)
  • All-ACC Selection (2022, 2023)
  • ACC Academic Honor Roll (2022, 2023)
  • All ACC Academic Team (2022)
  • ACC Individual Champion (2023)
  • ANNIKA Intercollegiate Champion (2022)
  • NCAA Westfield Regional Champion (2023)
  • Glass City Invitational Individual Champion (2023)
  • Holds the ACC Championship 18-Hole Record - 65
  • Holds the UVA Women's Golf 18-Hole Record - 65

Ally Black

Second Year - Austin, TX

  • Enrolled in Arts & Sciences
  • ACC Academic Honor Roll (2023)
  • Helped Westlake High School to win the Texas 6A State Championship (2019)
  • Co-chair of the Texas Cup, helped the AJGA raise more than $150,000 for the Aces Grant program

Jaclyn LaHa

First Year - Pleasanton, CA

  • Enrolled in Arts & Sciences
  • UVA's top finisher at the 2023 Windy City Classic
  • Holds a scoring average of 72.42 after her first fall of collegiate golf
  • Five Top-20 Finishes in her first year
  • Low Collegiate Tournament Round: 67 (Windy City Classic, 2023)
  • Competed in the 2021 U.S. Women's Open
  • First-Team 2022 Rolex Junior All-American

Kiera Bartholomew

First Year - Wake Forest, NC

  • Pursuing Engineering Science
  • 2020 North Carolina Junior Player of the Year
  • 2022 Rolex Junior All-American Second Team
  • 2022 Rolex Scholarship Honor Roll
  • 2021 NCISAA State Champion
  • Played in three events for the Hoos her first fall in Charlottesville
  • Low Collegiate Tournament Round: 73

COACHES

Head Coach Ria Scott

The 2023-2024 season marks the sixth year Ria Scott leads the Virginia program.

UVA Highlights

  • Has led UVA to Four NCAA National Championship Appearances
  • Four Tournament Victories
  • Coached International Team to victories in the 2019 & 2020 Arnold Palmer Cup
  • Coached programs to NCAA play in all 17 years of collegiate coaching.

The 2023-2024 season marked the team’s 18th berth into NCAA play in 20 seasons of the program’s history. Scott's teams have recorded the most under par team rounds in school history (11) and finished the season with the best stroke average in school history (291.10).

Assistant Coach Annie Collom

Collom completed her first year with Virginia in the 2023-24 season.

Hoos on the LPGA Tour

Brittany Altomare

UVA Graduate - 2013

Lauren Coughlin

UVA Graduate - 2016

Elizabeth Szokol

UVA Graduate - 2016