PALM DESERT, Calif. — The Illinois Wesleyan women’s golf team closed its 2026 season Wednesday at the NCAA Division III Championship, finishing in a tie for 16th place at Desert Willow Golf Resort.
 
The Titans posted a 36-hole score of 617 after rounds of 307 and 310, finishing two strokes outside the top-15 cutline to advance to the final two rounds. The championship field competed through high temperatures during the first two days of play in Palm Desert.
 
Illinois Wesleyan opened the tournament Tuesday on the 5,873-yard, par-72 Mountain View Course with a 19-over-par 307. The round placed the Titans in a tie for 14th, alongside Sewanee and four strokes outside the top 10.
 
Sophomore Gigi Zera led IWU in the opening round with a one-over-par 73, matching her personal low round at the national championship. Zera recorded three birdies and ended the day tied for 18th individually. Junior Nora Cerroni, sophomore Emily Gastrau and sophomore Grace Fagan each added rounds of 78. Gastrau and Fagan were both making their NCAA Championship debuts.
 
The field moved to the 5,867-yard, par-72 Firecliff Course for Wednesday’s second round. Illinois Wesleyan carded a 22-over-par 310, moving the Titans to 16th place as the field was reduced to the top 15 teams for the remainder of the championship.
 
Zera finished tied for 44th overall with a two-day score of 151 after rounds of 73 and 78. Cerroni had Illinois Wesleyan’s low round Wednesday with a four-over-par 76, closing the event in 67th place at 154.
 
Gastrau and Fagan finished tied for 80th with matching 36-hole totals of 156, with both players shooting 78 in each round. Freshman Julia Henry completed the Illinois Wesleyan lineup with a two-round score of 175.
 

Follow the CCIW
| CCIW on X | CCIW Instagram | CCIW Facebook | CCIW YouTube | CCIW on TikTok |
 
The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) was founded in 1946 and currently services nine member institutions including Augustana College (Rock Island, Ill.), Carroll University (Waukesha, Wis.), Carthage College (Kenosha, Wis.), Elmhurst University (Elmhurst, Ill.), Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, Ill.), Millikin University (Decatur, Ill.), North Central College (Naperville, Ill.), North Park University (Chicago, Ill.) and Wheaton College (Wheaton, Ill.).