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: Orange & Blue
- Conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
Student-Athlete Resources
Academics & Student-Athlete Development
Our athletic academic department is focused on creating confident student-athletes - in the classroom and on their field of play! Academic Coordinators offer support to student-athletes, even before you arrive on grounds. They are here to support you through registration, selecting a major, booking tutors, and even assist in finding internship or career opportunities!
Virginia Athletics Master Plan
The Harrison Family Olympic Sports Center
Virginia Athletics unveiled the Harrison Family Olympic Sports Center in September of 2025. The new building has been designed with the student-athlete in mind! Sports Medicine, Strength & Conditioning, and Sports Nutrition have been provided the top technology to help our athletes compete in peak form.
Sports Performance
At Virginia, our approach is to create well-rounded athletes. This includes a universal approach to their training and improvement. Our individual departments are home to leaders in each field. We all work together to create the best environment for our student-athletes to thrive.
Sports Psychology
Our incredible sports psychology team includes Dr. Bob Rotella and Dr. Jason Freeman.
Dr. Rotella is the team's Mental Performance Consultant. He is best known as a bestselling author, has client list of highly successful professional golfers, and has helped his professionals win over 80 major championships. A Charlottesville local and former head of Sport Psychology at UVA, we enjoy meeting with Dr. Rotella at his home to chat about our best strategies for a strong mental game in golf.
Dr. Jason Freeman is an expert on providing sports psychology services to a variety of student-athletes. Dr. Freeman is an excellent resource for sports performance and mental coaching. In addition to his expertise in sports, Dr. Freeman is a licensed clinical psychologist and is available to our student-athletes for their general well-being and mental strength. As a long-standing member of the UVA community, we're lucky to have Dr. Freeman on our team!
Sports Nutrition
Strength Training
Sports Medicine
Virginia Women's Golf History
First Year of the Program
2002
NCAA National Championship Appearances
16
NCAA National Championship Elite-8
5
NCAA Regional Appearances
21
ACC Championship Titles
2
ACC Individual Champions
3
All-Americans
21
All-American Scholars
48
Augusta National Women's Amateur Invitations
8
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!
GOLF COURSES
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.
2026-2027 TEAM
Jaclyn LaHa
Fourth Year - Pleasanton, California
- Economics major with a minor in Commerce
- University of Virginia SAAC Representative
- ACC Academic Honor Roll (2024)
- All-ACC Academic Team (2024)
- Holds the lowest single season stroke average record for any Virginia Women's Golf athlete, 71.15 stroke average.
- Terps Invitational Medalist (2026)
- Runner-Up Finishes: Collegiate Invitational at GCC (2026), Chattanooga Classic (2025)
- NCAA Championship Appearances (2024, 2025, 2026)
- Advanced individually to the Final Round of Stroke Play at the 2026 NCAA Finals
- Top-20 NCAA Regional Finishes (2024, 2025)
- As a first year in 2023-2024, recorded five Top-20 finishes.
- US Women's Amateur Participant (2022)
- U.S. Women's Open Participant (2021)
- First-Team 2022 Rolex Junior All-American
Mira Berglund
Fourth Year - Örnsköldsvik, Sweden
- Sociology major with a minor in Commerce
- Mercedes Benz Intercollegiate Champion (2024)
- Runner Up Finish: Gators Invitational (2026)
- Transfer from Campbell University
- First-Team All-CAA
- CAA All-Championship Team
- Six Top-10 Collegiate Finishes in 2024-2025 Season
- 72.74 Scoring Average in 2024-2025 Season
- WGCA All-American Scholar (2023-2024)
Kennedy Swedick
Third Year - Albany, New York
- UVA Echols Scholar
- Economics major
- WGCA All-American Scholar (2024-2025)
- Virginia Women's Open Champion (2025)
- NCAA Championship Appearance (2025)
- AJGA Rolex Scholastic Junior All-America Selection (2023)
- USGA Girls Junior Participant (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
- USGA Four-Ball Participant (2024)
- New York State High School Champion (2022, 2023, 2024)
Remi Bacardi
Second Year - Miami, Florida
- Second-best stroke average on the team with 73.34 (2026)
- Miami Herald Girls' Golfer of the Year (2022, 2023, 2024)
- USGA Girls Junior Participant (2024, 2025)
- Top-5 finishes include 2023 AJGA Huntsville Junior, 2023 Mizuno Keith Mitchell Junior Championship, 2023 Junior Orange Bowl, and 2024 AJGA New Orleans Classic.
- Competed in the 2024 KPMG Women's Irish Open
Elsie MacCleery
Second Year - Crozet, Virginia
- Best counting rounds percentage on the squad - 96.55% and competed in all tournaments during the 2025-2026 season
- Best finishes of the season 6th at Terps Invitational and 14th at the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional
- Central Virginia Player of the Year (2024)
- Virginia State golfer of the Year (2022)
- 53rd VSGA Junior Girls Champion
- Top finishes include 2023 SCJGA Sea Pines Junior Heritage, 2024 Donna Andrews Invitational, 2024 Dye Junior Invitational, and the 2022 Elite Invitational.
Miranda Lu
Second Year - Vancouver, Canada // Bradenton, FL
- Career Low 67 at the 2026 Gators Invitational
- #26 in the Class of 2026
- AJGA Scholastic Junior All-American (2025)
- AJGA Arnold Palmer Invitational Runner-Up
- Top finishes include the Florida Girls' Junior Championship, UHY Albany Junior, and the Fortinet Girls Invitational at Stanford
Lily Reitter
First Year - Talloires, France
- 2025 R&A Girls Amateur Champion
- 2024 PING Junior Solheim Cup - Team Europe
Zoe Cusack
First Year - Bethesda, MD
- Member of 2026 Team USA
- Qualified for the 2026 US Women's Open
COACHES
Head Coach Ria Scott
The 2025-2026 season marks the 9th year Ria Scott leads the Virginia program.
Coaching Highlights
- WGCA East Region Coach of the Year (2025)
- Has led programs to NCAA play in all 18 years of collegiate coaching.
- Coached winning International Arnold Palmer Cup Teams (2019, 2020)
- During her time at Virginia, has helped players to WGCA All-American Honors (4), Golfweek All-American Honors (3), and All-ACC Honors (7).
The 2026 season brought UVA's 20th berth into NCAA play in 22 competitive seasons of the program. The Cavaliers thrived in stroke play during the 2025 NCAA Championship, advancing to match play for the first time since 2016.