Kiara Romero, Oregon Ducks golf clinches NCAA championship appearance with regional win
The Oregon Ducks women's golf team is heading back to the NCAA Championships, which has become the expectation each year for one of the top golf programs in the nation.
On Wednesday, the Ducks clinched their spot in the championships with a win at the NCAA Canyon Regional, taking the tournament by nine strokes. It was sophomore phenom Kiara Romero who led the way, winning the individual championship at the regional with a -16 for the week. Her second round was a UO record 62 (-10), which put the Ducks well out in front of the rest of the pack.
Oregon shot a seven-under 281 on Wednesday to secure the tournament. Romero had a four-under 68, while Suvichaya Vinijchaitham was three-under, and Ting-Hsuan Huang was two-under. Behind the Ducks was Arizona State (-3), Oklahoma State (+2), No. 20 Mississippi State (+11) and Cal State Fullerton (+23).
"Super proud of our team for not only punching their ticket to the NCAA Championships, but for coming out here and getting a win against a really good field," head coach Derek Radley said, via the Oregon Athletic Department. "They didn't come here with the mindset of just finishing in the top five; they wanted to make a statement. Really pleased with the way our whole lineup performed today. It's not easy to get to the NCAA Championships, and these ladies have earned it. We're excited to get back to Carlsbad and see what we can do next week."
They always say that peaking at the right time of the season is among the most important things you can do, and the Ducks appear to be doing that right now. This is their third tournament win of the year, and their second in a row after running away with the victory in the Big Ten Championship a week ago. The last Oregon team to do this was in 2021-22, when the Ducks won the Pac-12 Championship, the Albuquerque Regional, and then finished as runner-ups in the NCAA Championship.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle
The 2025 NCAA Championships begin on Friday, May 16, at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. There will be three rounds of stroke play before the field is cut to the top 15 teams for a final round of stroke play on Monday, May 19, with the top eight teams then advancing to match play. The match play quarterfinals and semifinals will be played on Tuesday, May 20, with the championship match on Wednesday, May 21.
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Bay Area sports calendar, June 12-13
THURSDAY BASEBALL 10a Texas at Minnesota MLB Net Noon Giants at Colorado NBCSBA (680, 104.5) 4:30p N.Y. Yankees at Kansas City MLB Net 6:05p Minors: Ballers at Missoula (860) CRICKET 6p Major League Cricket: S.F. Unicorns vs. Washington, at Oakland Coliseum FOOTBALL 5:30p CFL: British Columbia at Winnipeg CBSSN GOLF 3:30a U.S. Open USA Noon LPGA: Meijer LPGA Classic GOLF NHL PLAYOFFS 5p Stanley Cup Finals, Game 4: Edmonton at Florida TNT TruTV (1050) SOFTBALL 4p Athletes Unlimited: Volts vs. Bandits ESPN2 TRACK AND FIELD 4p NCAA Championships ESPN FRIDAY BASEBALL 11a Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs MLB Net 4p N.Y. Yankees at Boston MLB Net 5p A's at Kansas City NBCSCA (960) 5:30p Minors: Ballers at Ogden (860) 7p Giants at L.A. Dodgers Channel 11 NBCSBA (680, 104.5) 7p Cleveland at Seattle MLB Net COLLEGE BASEBALL College World Series 11a Game 1: Arizona vs. Coastal Carolina ESPN 4p Game 2: Louisville vs. Oregon State ESPN CRICKET 6p Major League Cricket: New York vs. Texas, at Oakland Coliseum GOLF 10a U.S. Open Channel 11 Channel 3 Channel 8 Noon Meijer LPGA Classic GOLF MOTOR SPORTS 10:25a F1: Canadian Grand Prix practice ESPNU 1:55p F1: Canadian Grand Prix practice ESPNU NBA FINALS 5:30p Game 4: Oklahoma City at Indiana Channel 7 Channel 10 (1050) SOCCER 7p NWSL: Orlando at Bay FC Prime Video 7:30p MLS: Earthquakes at Portland FS1 (810) SOFTBALL 3:30p Athletes Unlimited: Talons vs. Blaze MLB Net 6p Athletes Unlimited: Volts vs. Bandits MLB Net TRACK AND FIELD 5p NCAA Championships ESPN2 VOLLEYBALL 5p AVP: Miami CBSSN WNBA 4:30p Chicago at Atlanta Ion 7p Dallas at Las Vegas Ion
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Who is Bennedict Mathurin? Pacers guard a hero off the bench in NBA Finals Game 3
Who is Bennedict Mathurin? Pacers guard a hero off the bench in NBA Finals Game 3 Show Caption Hide Caption Pacers' Game 3 adjustments To bounce back in Game 3, the Pacers need better starts, transition offense, and a plan for Shai. The Indiana Pacers are now up 2-1 in the 2025 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, thanks to a monster performance by Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin. Mathurin scored a game-high 27 points off the bench in the Pacers' 116-107 win over the Thunder in Game 3 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. He shot 9-of-12 from the field, 2-of-3 from 3 and 7-of-8 from the free throw line. "So many of the guys chipped in. This guy behind me, Ben Mathurin, was amazing off the bench tonight. He just stuck with it," Tyrese Haliburton said after the win. "Our bench was amazing." Mathurin is not yet a household name, but his postseason play is catching everyone's attention. Just who is Mathurin? USA TODAY Sports rounded up everything you need to know about the 22-year-old guard, who has become an integral piece in the Pacers' rotation: Who is Bennedict Mathurin? Mathurin, 22, is a shooting guard for the Indiana Pacers. He's in his third season in the NBA. He wears No. 00. Where is Bennedict Mathurin from? Mathurin was born June 19, 2002 in Montreal, Quebec. Basketball runs in the family. His older sister Jennifer played college basketball at North Carolina State from 2013-2017 and his brother Dominique Jeune had dreams of playing in the NBA. Tragedy struck the Mathurin family when 15-year-old Dominique Jeune was struck by a car and killed while riding his bike home from school. Mathurin was 12 at the time of his brother's death. 'He's my inspiration,' Mathurin said in 2022. 'He wanted to play in the NBA. It was a mission for me and him as well.' In 2018, Mathurin left home at age 15 to enter the NBA Academy Latin America in Mexico City, a year-round elite basketball development program for top high school-age players. Bennedict Mathurin college career Bennedict Mathurin played two seasons of collegiate basketball at the University of Arizona. He was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team in 2021 after averaging 10.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 26 games (12 starts). Mathurin was promoted to the starting lineup for his sophomore campaign, and he averaged 17.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 37 games (all starts). He was named a second team All-American and picked up Pac-12 Player of the Year and First Team All Pac-12 honors. Bennedict Mathurin draft Bennedict Mathurin was selected out of Arizona by the Pacers with the sixth overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft. Mathurin instantly made a splash in the league and he averaged 16.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 78 games (17 starts). He was named to the 2023 NBA All-Rookie First Team, finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting and set a Pacers franchise record for most 3s made by a rookie (100). 'Every once in a while, there is a young player that comes out of college whose game is much more suited to the NBA than college, and I think Ben might be one of those guys,' Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said in 2022. 'He had great coaching in college and was Player of the Year in the Pac-12. … But it is unique for a guy at this stage to have that feel.' Mathurin's sophomore season was cut short due to a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Bennedict Mathurin stats: 2024-25 season Mathurin averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 72 regular-season games (49 starts). He's averaging 15.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists through the first three games of the NBA Finals. The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
ESPN Projects the No. 1 College Football Program for Next Two Seasons
ESPN Projects the No. 1 College Football Program for Next Two Seasons originally appeared on Athlon Sports. One college football program stands above the rest in ESPN's new projections through the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Advertisement Factors like returning quarterback, likelihood of a multiyear starting quarterback, offensive line/defensive line outlook, roster management, star power and coaching staff were used by ESPN's Adam Rittenberg to rank programs throughout the Power Four along with independent Notre Dame. Perennial powers, of course, make up the top 10, featuring the Alabama Crimson Tide (No. 10), Tennessee Volunteers (No. 9), LSU Tigers (No. 8), Clemson Tigers (No. 7), Penn State Nittany Lions (No. 6) and Notre Dame Fighting Irish (No. 5). The Oregon Ducks kick off the top four after securing the Big Ten Championship and a College Football Playoff appearance under young head coach Dan Lanning. Oregon is the only team to land both a top-four high school and transfer portal class in the 2025 cycle. Sitting third is the defending SEC champion Georgia Bulldogs and acclaimed head coach Kirby Smart, who led his alma mater to back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022. Advertisement While Georgia hasn't logged a playoff win since that run in 2022, Smart and Co. have yet to finish outside the top five in recruiting in nine consecutive years. The top two came down to the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes and rising SEC powerhouse Texas Longhorns. Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day and Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian shake hands prior to the College Football Playoff Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Head coach Ryan Day's Buckeyes secured their ninth national championship and the first under Day after bouncing back from two regular-season losses in 2024. There's a lot to like about the historic program moving forward, but the Longhorns got ESPN's nod at No. 1. The outlook for Texas and head coach Steve Sarkisian begins with star quarterback Arch Manning, a former five-star recruit who is entering his first season as a full-time starter. Advertisement Manning, although eligible for the 2026 NFL draft, could benefit from a return to the Longhorns for the 2026 season. Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16).Jerome Miron-Imagn Images "But Manning is in a unique situation because of his background and the money he has already earned in college," Rittenberg wrote. "He doesn't need to rush off to begin his pro career and could benefit from a second season as the starter under coach Steve Sarkisian." Sarkisian has led Texas to back-to-back playoff appearances after rebuilding a roster that totaled 13 wins over his first two seasons at the helm. "Sarkisian got the Texas job largely because of his reputation with playcalling and quarterbacks, but his greatest gains have come up front, especially elevating an underperforming offensive line," Rittenberg wrote. Advertisement Recruiting, particularly along the lines of scrimmage, has seen a noticeable uptick of late. And Texas is coming off the nation's top class in the 2025 cycle. Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (0).Tim Heitman-Imagn Images As far as star power, Manning is an obvious mention. Elsewhere, the defense returns All-Americans in EDGE Colin Simmons and linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. alongside safety Michael Taaffe. Offensively, wide receiver Ryan Wingo will be relied upon heavily. Maintaining elite talent is certainly a barometer of success for future seasons, as is Sarkisian's job security and a well-built staff. "He's (Sarkisian) at an A-list job and likely isn't going anywhere, and he has done a good job establishing and maintaining a veteran staff that includes coordinators Kyle Flood (offense), Pete Kwiatkowski (defense) and Jeff Banks (special teams)." Advertisement Texas will open the 2025 season with no small task, a playoff rematch against Ohio State on the road. That highly-anticipated matchup will take place on Aug. 30 at noon ET on Fox. Related: Major SEC Program Pushing For Highly-Touted Texas WR Commit Related: Nation's No. 1 RB Sounds Off Against Recruiting Report After Ohio State Visit Related: Nation's Top LB To Officially Visit SEC Powerhouse After Trips To Clemson, Oregon This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
