FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 20, 2025 (Paradise Island, Bahamas) – The University of Miami women’s golf team will play the favorite role at this week’s seven-team White Sands Bahamas NCAA Women’s Invitational at the Ocean Club Golf Course at Paradise Island, Bahamas. The 54-hole event is scheduled from Friday through Sunday (Oct. 24-26).
The Hurricanes will be without their best golfer in senior Olivia Gronborg, a native of Denmark and a member of the Danish National Team, who is injured, but they have transfers Ashleen Kaur and Stella Jelinek, who have been carrying the team.
Jelinek, a senior from Germany, led the team at the Cougar Classic, while Kaur, a junior from Lexington, Ky., was the Hurricanes’ top finisher at the Red Sky Classic. Kaur is No. 115 on the most recent individual player rankings, while Jelinek is at No. 172. Miami finished sixth in a strong 20-team field at the Red Sky event in Colorado.
“We can accept being called the favorite team, but at the end of the day we have to put three rounds together to earn a title,” says fourth-year head coach Janice Olivencia. “Every team wants to win.
“This is the highlight of our fall season,” continued Olivencia. “We have been talking about it since we announced our fall schedule. It puts an exclamation point on the season, and it will be a great experience for the whole team.”
Miami, which was ranked 61st in the first fall college rankings, will likely get the strongest challenge from High Point, Middle Tennessee State and South Florida. Other teams in the field are Northern Illinois, the host school for the event, Ohio University and Prairie View A&M.
High Point, ranked right next to Miami, has had three runner-up finishes this fall, with freshmen Eva Lye of Naples, Fla., and Makayla Grubb of Stafford, Va., pacing the team. Middle Tennessee State features junior Jillian Bowman of Franklin, Ky., and sophomore Isabella Johnson of Murfreesboro, Tenn., who led the Blue Raiders to the team title at the Town and Country Invitational in early September.
Meanwhile, Tiphani Knight and Regina Plascencia might have something to say about which team wins the title in the Bahamas. Knight, a freshman from Spain, and Plascencia, a senior from Mexico, each had top-10 finishes in leading South Florida to a runner-up finish at the 12-team Pat Bradley Invitational at the end of September.
Northern Illinois is hoping to surprise the field behind young players Emile Chile, Alexa Ouellet and Mia Raines.
The women will play at 6,385 yards over the par 72 Ocean Club Golf Course, designed by past major champion Tom Weiskopf. Texas, Campbell, Lipscomb, Kansas State and Kansas are past winners of the women’s competitions. In 2024, Kansas rallied to nip Purdue by two strokes.
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ABOUT THE BAHAMAS
With over 700 islands and cays and 16 unique island destinations, The Bahamas lies just 50 miles off the coast of Florida, offering an easy fly-away escape that transports travelers away from their everyday. The Islands of The Bahamas have world-class fishing, diving, boating and thousands of miles of the earth’s most spectacular water and beaches waiting for families, couples and adventurers. Explore all the islands have to offer at www.bahamas.com or on Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram to see why “It’s Better in The Bahamas.”
ABOUT OCEAN CLUB GOLF COURSE
Atlantis Paradise Island’s Ocean Club Golf Course offers a challenging and beautiful course for golfers desiring championship play. Masterfully conceived, the Tom Weiskopf-designed 18-hole, par 72 championship course stretches over 7,100 yards on Atlantis’ peninsula. The course has hosted iconic sporting events such as the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational (MJCI), the Michael Douglas & Friends Celebrity Golf Tournament and the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic. For more information about Atlantis Paradise Island Resort and the Ocean Club please visit www.atlantisbahamas.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For White Sands Bahamas NCAA Invitational
Contact: Jack Milko
[email protected]
Contact: Craig Smith
[email protected]
BAHAMAS MINISTRY OF TOURISM, INVESTMENTS & AVIATION CONTACT:
Anita Johnson-Patty
[email protected]
ATLANTIS CONTACT:
Katie Longley
Atlantis Paradise Island
242-376-1034
[email protected]
