The fall women’s golf season has come to a close, with Texas finishing toward the top in four events across the country. The Women’s Golf Coaches Association has the team ranked fourth overall as new head coach Laura Ianello looks to build on her group’s success in the spring.

After finishing fourth in the Folds of Honor Collegiate, a first-place statement was made in September when the golfers claimed the Mason Rudolph Championship at the Vanderbilt Legends Club.

“I inherited a very gifted group of young women,” Ianello said. “I felt like that was the sign that we were slowly getting to be more comfortable with each other, and they’ve adapted to the new change here at the program.”

In New Mexico, the team won the NB3 Collegiate Match Play Championship in coalition with the men’s team, with match play coming down to the very last putt for the women. Though Texas topped the standings, it was in New Mexico they were introduced to a rival-to-be in Stanford, the No. 1 team in the country.

At the Stanford Intercollegiate in California, Texas finished in third behind Southern California and Stanford despite a valiant comeback effort on the third day — tallying a score of -11. Sophomore standout Farah O’Keefe tied for third individually.

The team was granted another opportunity to place ahead of Stanford at the Nanea Invitational in Hawaii. 

Coach Ianello was no stranger to the Nanea course, having competed there during her time coaching Arizona in what used to be a PAC-12 event. Fescue and lava rock decorate an “intimidating” 54-hole course in Kailua Kona.

Despite Ianello’s local knowledge, the Longhorns again came in third as one of four teams to shoot under par. O’Keefe finished second overall, with sophomore Lauren Kim and junior Cindy Hsu tying for sixth. 

The Longhorns fell behind Arizona State and, once again, Stanford.

“Against Stanford, you have to bring your A-game, because their roster is deep,” Ianello said. “They’re very similar to a roster like ours, where every player is nationally ranked at a very high level. They are a smart golf team. … They make minimal mistakes.”

Ianello said eliminating just half of the three-putts at Nanea could have resulted in a second-place finish, but acknowledges the group still has work to do in consistency and minimizing mistakes to maintain their winning ways.

As the team’s focus swings to the spring, Ianello preaches the importance of keeping a positive and uplifting environment off the course. Though the championship hunt will intensify in the coming months, the day-by-day process and staying in the now are key elements of Ianello’s coaching.

“I’m all about effort, attitude and composure,” Ianello said. “Everybody works hard, everybody works out, everybody’s trying to win the championship. I have to ask (my players) what are you doing extra to be better?”

Play picks back up in February at the Northrup Grumann Regional with the NCAA Championship set for May 16.