5 Things To Know: 2026-27 Women's Golf Preview
September 11, 2026 | Women's Golf
IRVINE, Calif. – UC Irvine women's golf is set to kick off the 2026-27 campaign in just a few days. Coming off a highly successful 2025-26 season, the Anteaters will look to carry that momentum into the new year with an almost entirely revamped roster.
Head coach Margo Dionisio enters her fifth season at the helm of the women's golf program, as she and the 'Eaters prepare for another exciting campaign. Here are five things to know heading into the 2026-27 season.
"Every new season brings a new opportunity to become better than we were before," Dionisio said. "I'm incredibly excited for this group, and all that's ahead. There's something special about this team, and I can't wait to see where we take it."
The 'Eaters will compete in their second event of the season at the Golfweek Red Sky Classic, set for Sept. 21-23 at the Fazio Course in Wolcott, Colo. UC Irvine returns to the tournament after tying for seventh with a score of 878 last season, when the Anteaters opened their 2025-26 campaign at the event. This year's field will once again feature several of the top collegiate programs in the nation.
The Anteaters welcome talented sophomore transfer Zoe Sprecher from UCLA. Sprecher competed in two events and five rounds during her freshman season with the Bruins. She also enjoyed a decorated prep career at Arcadia High School, earning League MVP honors in 2024 and recording five top-five finishes at prestigious tournaments, including three runner-up finishes. Sprecher also helped lead Arcadia to a second-place finish at the 2022 CIF State Girls High School Championship. The 'Eaters are excited to welcome Sprecher to the program.
UCI also adds sophomore transfer Madeline Lee from Cal State Fullerton. Lee competed in two tournaments during her freshman season with the Titans. Like Sprecher, Lee attended Arcadia High School, where she played four years of varsity golf and earned Pacific League First Team honors in 2023 and 2024, along with a Second Team distinction in 2022. She also served as team captain and earned team MVP honors. Lee will look to continue her development as an Anteater.
The Anteaters round out their trio of transfers with sophomore Obi Chan from Baylor University. Chan enjoyed a successful prep career at Malvern College Hong Kong, where she was named Golf Whole School MVP and Whole School Sportswoman of the Year in 2024-25. She also tied for first at the 2024 AJGA Coca-Cola Junior Championships at the Highlands and competed as a member of the Hong Kong China National Team. The 'Eaters are excited to welcome Chan to Irvine.
UCI rounds out its talented group of newcomers with freshmen Veronica Man and Jio Yoo, who will look to make an immediate impact on the course as they begin their collegiate careers.
Man arrives at UCI ranked No. 52 in the TUGR Class Rankings and No. 77 in the AJGA Class Rankings. She recorded two AJGA top-five finishes and one additional top-10 finish during the 2024-25 season, while also earning FCG victories in 2024 and 2025. Man also finished 12th at the 2024 IMG Academy Junior World Championships.
Yoo enters the Anteaters' program ranked No. 38 in the TUGR Class Rankings after an impressive junior career that included a TTC victory and six top-three finishes in 2024 and 2025. She also placed fourth at the 44th Bubba Conlee Junior Tournament and advanced to the Round of 16 in match play at the California Women's Amateur Championship.
Junior Katherine Gerbing returns for her third season with the Anteaters following a standout sophomore campaign. Gerbing earned All-Big West Honorable Mention honors while posting a 73.80 scoring average across 15 rounds. She recorded a season-low 69 in the second round of the Golf Iconic Classic on Oct. 14, 2025, and finished with three top-20 performances, including two top-10 finishes. UCI will look to Gerbing to provide experience and leadership as the Anteaters navigate the 2026-27 season.
Junior HaYoung Lee also returns and will look to take on an expanded role this season. Lee competed in nine rounds as a sophomore, recording a career-low 68 in the second round of the Golf Iconic Classic on Oct. 14, 2025. With another year of experience under her belt, the 'Eaters will look to Lee to make an impact on the course.
The Anteaters also welcome back junior Apple Zheng, who competed in three rounds last season. Zheng recorded a season-low 74 in the second round of the Molly Collegiate Invitational on Sept. 29, 2025. She rounds out a group of returners who will look to build on the program's recent success.
In 2025-26, UCI recorded four top-five team finishes, including a pair of runner-up performances, along with seven top-10 individual finishes and seven rounds in the 60s. The Anteaters also set a school-record 279 in the second round of the Golf Iconic Classic, finishing third at the event.
The success followed a historic 2024-25 campaign, when UCI captured two tournament titles, including the Wolverine Invitational with the lowest 54-hole score in program history at 853. The Anteaters will look to carry that momentum into another successful season.
Following the opening two events, UCI will close the fall slate at the Pat Lesser-Seattle U Invitational in Lakewood, Wash., and the Illini Women's Invitational in Medinah, Ill.
The Anteaters return to action in February at the Alice and John Wallace Classic in Palm Desert, Calif., before competing in the Bruin Wave Invitational, Fresno State Classic and Silicon Valley Showcase. UCI will wrap up the regular season at the Bobcat Desert Classic in Goodyear, Ariz., before competing for the Big West title at the conference championship in Somis, Calif.
Head coach Margo Dionisio enters her fifth season at the helm of the women's golf program, as she and the 'Eaters prepare for another exciting campaign. Here are five things to know heading into the 2026-27 season.
"Every new season brings a new opportunity to become better than we were before," Dionisio said. "I'm incredibly excited for this group, and all that's ahead. There's something special about this team, and I can't wait to see where we take it."
- STARTING STRONG
The 'Eaters will compete in their second event of the season at the Golfweek Red Sky Classic, set for Sept. 21-23 at the Fazio Course in Wolcott, Colo. UC Irvine returns to the tournament after tying for seventh with a score of 878 last season, when the Anteaters opened their 2025-26 campaign at the event. This year's field will once again feature several of the top collegiate programs in the nation.
- FRESH FACES
The Anteaters welcome talented sophomore transfer Zoe Sprecher from UCLA. Sprecher competed in two events and five rounds during her freshman season with the Bruins. She also enjoyed a decorated prep career at Arcadia High School, earning League MVP honors in 2024 and recording five top-five finishes at prestigious tournaments, including three runner-up finishes. Sprecher also helped lead Arcadia to a second-place finish at the 2022 CIF State Girls High School Championship. The 'Eaters are excited to welcome Sprecher to the program.
UCI also adds sophomore transfer Madeline Lee from Cal State Fullerton. Lee competed in two tournaments during her freshman season with the Titans. Like Sprecher, Lee attended Arcadia High School, where she played four years of varsity golf and earned Pacific League First Team honors in 2023 and 2024, along with a Second Team distinction in 2022. She also served as team captain and earned team MVP honors. Lee will look to continue her development as an Anteater.
The Anteaters round out their trio of transfers with sophomore Obi Chan from Baylor University. Chan enjoyed a successful prep career at Malvern College Hong Kong, where she was named Golf Whole School MVP and Whole School Sportswoman of the Year in 2024-25. She also tied for first at the 2024 AJGA Coca-Cola Junior Championships at the Highlands and competed as a member of the Hong Kong China National Team. The 'Eaters are excited to welcome Chan to Irvine.
UCI rounds out its talented group of newcomers with freshmen Veronica Man and Jio Yoo, who will look to make an immediate impact on the course as they begin their collegiate careers.
Man arrives at UCI ranked No. 52 in the TUGR Class Rankings and No. 77 in the AJGA Class Rankings. She recorded two AJGA top-five finishes and one additional top-10 finish during the 2024-25 season, while also earning FCG victories in 2024 and 2025. Man also finished 12th at the 2024 IMG Academy Junior World Championships.
Yoo enters the Anteaters' program ranked No. 38 in the TUGR Class Rankings after an impressive junior career that included a TTC victory and six top-three finishes in 2024 and 2025. She also placed fourth at the 44th Bubba Conlee Junior Tournament and advanced to the Round of 16 in match play at the California Women's Amateur Championship.
- BACK FOR MORE
Junior Katherine Gerbing returns for her third season with the Anteaters following a standout sophomore campaign. Gerbing earned All-Big West Honorable Mention honors while posting a 73.80 scoring average across 15 rounds. She recorded a season-low 69 in the second round of the Golf Iconic Classic on Oct. 14, 2025, and finished with three top-20 performances, including two top-10 finishes. UCI will look to Gerbing to provide experience and leadership as the Anteaters navigate the 2026-27 season.
Junior HaYoung Lee also returns and will look to take on an expanded role this season. Lee competed in nine rounds as a sophomore, recording a career-low 68 in the second round of the Golf Iconic Classic on Oct. 14, 2025. With another year of experience under her belt, the 'Eaters will look to Lee to make an impact on the course.
The Anteaters also welcome back junior Apple Zheng, who competed in three rounds last season. Zheng recorded a season-low 74 in the second round of the Molly Collegiate Invitational on Sept. 29, 2025. She rounds out a group of returners who will look to build on the program's recent success.
- BUILDING MOMENTUM
In 2025-26, UCI recorded four top-five team finishes, including a pair of runner-up performances, along with seven top-10 individual finishes and seven rounds in the 60s. The Anteaters also set a school-record 279 in the second round of the Golf Iconic Classic, finishing third at the event.
The success followed a historic 2024-25 campaign, when UCI captured two tournament titles, including the Wolverine Invitational with the lowest 54-hole score in program history at 853. The Anteaters will look to carry that momentum into another successful season.
- LOOKING AHEAD
Following the opening two events, UCI will close the fall slate at the Pat Lesser-Seattle U Invitational in Lakewood, Wash., and the Illini Women's Invitational in Medinah, Ill.
The Anteaters return to action in February at the Alice and John Wallace Classic in Palm Desert, Calif., before competing in the Bruin Wave Invitational, Fresno State Classic and Silicon Valley Showcase. UCI will wrap up the regular season at the Bobcat Desert Classic in Goodyear, Ariz., before competing for the Big West title at the conference championship in Somis, Calif.
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