Washburn women's golf gearing up for inaugural season

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Washburn announced the addition of its 17th sport, women's golf, back in January of 2024. Now, the team is preparing for its first season of competition.

Men's head golf coach Ronnie McHenry will also lead the women's team, which is somewhat new territory for him, but he's excited for the challenge.

"Being part of the men's program, I played here, coached here and I knew what college golf was," McHenry said. "Women's golf might a little different, but I went out and found as much experience in golf as I could, and I think we found a good bunch."

The Bods' roster features seven players, three of which are from the Topeka area. Freshman Raegan Peterson and sophomore Aliyah North make up a pair of Washburn Rural graduates, while sophomore Lois Deeter is a Seaman alumna.

Deeter transferred to Washburn from Arkansas Tech as soon as she heard WU was starting a women's golf team. She and North both want to represent their home community.

"Aliyah North and I have talked about wanting Washburn women's golf to start up a women's golf program for a long time," Deeter said. "Multiple tournaments just hanging out around Kansas playing golf we were like 'Washburn should really start up a women's golf program,' so we're just filled with gratitude that that's happened."

Washburn women's golf opens its inaugural season at the Central Fall Regional Preview on Sept. 3 in Blue Springs, MO.