BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Under the direction of Head Coach Harry Stokes, Bethune-Cookman Women's Golf will close out the 2024-25 season at the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Golf Championships taking place at Robert Trent Golf Trail at Oxmoor Valley in Birmingham, Alabama. The three-day, 54-hole event begins on Monday, April 14, at 8:30 a.m. ET (7:30 a.m. CT).
 
On the women's Alabama State will look to claim consecutive championship titles after holding off Bethune-Cookman last season on the final day. Meanwhile, B-CU senior Katie Robinson attempts to retain her 2024 SWAC Individual Champion medal from a season ago in Flowood, Mississippi.
 
For the SWAC Women's Golf Championships, Robert Trent Golf Trail at Oxmoor Valley plays as a par 72, with a yardage of 6,148 altogether.
 
Bethune-Cookman is joined by Alabama State, Prairie View A&M, Southern (La.) and Texas Southern in this year's field.
 
Live scoring for the SWAC Championships is provided through SCORECARD by clippd and available here.
 
ABOUT THE COURSE
Centrally located in the state of Alabama and just minutes from the downtown Birmingham area, the Oxmoor Valley facility was built on former mining land owned by U.S. Steel. Sculpted from the peaks and valleys of the Appalachians, the courses offer scenic forests, numerous creeks, and challenging elevation changes.
 
The Ridge course offers numerous elevation changes, heavy tree cover, and is incredibly photogenic. As a tribute to the area's mining past, the green at the par-five third hole is buttressed by a shelf of exposed shale rock.
 
Completely renovated in 2021, the Valley course features new tees, bunkers, and beautiful TifEagle greens. For those who have played the Valley in the past, there are also a few new surprises with complete redesigns on a few holes, including the previously notorious 18th hole.
 
WILDCATS IN THE FIELD
1. Katie Robinson (Sr.) – American Canyon, Calif.
2. Skylar Kew (Jr.) – Dundas, Ontario
3. Meeya Marquez (Soph.) – Sherman Oaks, Calif.
4. Kamary Leaf (R-Sr.) – Brownsburg, Ind.
5. Leiahnni Smith (Jr.) – Lima, Ohio
 
QUOTES FROM STOKES
"It's all come down to this. This event right here. It's probably fitting that it comes on the heels of one of the greatest sports events every season – The Masters. The travel; playing in very good tournaments against very tough competition; hard practices. Everything comes down to this one event. Every round we've played this season has been in preparation for the SWAC Tournament and everything this golf course holds for us – and every other team in this year's event, for that matter."
 
"What impresses me most about this team is their resilience. They've faced challenges this season and responded with the heart of champions. That mental toughness will serve them well this week. Representing Bethune-Cookman on this stage is an honor we don't take lightly. Our program is proud to continuing growing in what is a relatively new tradition of the SWAC, and this team is determined to add another chapter to that legacy."
 
"We've emphasized consistency all year long, and I've seen remarkable growth in that area each and every time we've stepped onto the course for another tournament – stretching all the way back to the fall portion of the schedule. In golf, staying steady through all 18 holes makes the difference, and our ladies have embraced that mindset."
 
"What makes this group special is their competitive fire combined with their sportsmanship. They push each other to excel while upholding the values that make Bethune-Cookman Athletics special under our founder – since she was a woman that showed the utmost respect for everyone, but she was a competitor and loved to win."
 
ABOUT THE SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
 
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.

Women's competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE CATS
Bethune-Cookman Women's Golf scored a 16th place finish across the two-day, 54-hole Ironwood Invitational hosted by East Carolina at Ironwood Golf & Country Club. Bethune-Cookman received several impressive opening-round scores including back-to-back tournaments with an opening scorecard of 82 from sophomore Meeya Marquez. The Los Angeles native finished 93rd on the final individual leaderboard with rounds of 82, 90 and 96, respectively. Her opening round 82 was the lowest for any Wildcats performer in the field.
 
Katie Robinson, a senior from American Canyon, California, led all Maroon and Gold players with a collective 251 scorecard across her three-round performance in delivering scores of 85, 81 and 85 for the tournament. Robinson, the reigning Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Women's Golfer of the Week, would finish tied for 85th in the field with a plus-35 average.
 
Skylar Kew (86-84-88=258, +42) served as the second-lowest scorer for the Wildcats after dropping two strokes from her opening round in Monday's second leg of 36 holes played on the day. Kew finished the event placed 88th on the final leaderboard after firing a final round 88 on Tuesday.
 
Another senior for the Wildcats is Kamary Leaf (91-85-89=265, +49) as she finished 92nd in the tournament field, respectfully. The Brownsburg, Indiana product lowered her opening round by six strokes as she turned in a second round 85 on Monday evening. She would conclude Tuesday's 18 holes firing an 89.
 
The final golfer for the Wildcats was junior Jordan Davis (97-107-117), matching her single-low round for the 2024-25 campaign during Monday's opening 18 holes where the Tampa native carded a 97, respectfully. Davis fired a similar 97 in the second round of the Babs Steffens Invitational hosted by Stetson back in February. She added to her card each round afterwards, allowing her to finish the event 94th overall.
 
As a team, Bethune-Cookman (344-340-358=1042, +178) was 16th behind William & Mary.
 
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