UCLA posted its first victory of the Alicia Um Holmes era on Tuesday.
Holmes was promoted to head coach following the retirement of Carrie Forsyth last season. Forsyth led the Bruins to two NCAA Championships in 24 years at UCLA, but this past season saw the Bruins, no longer with Emma Spitz atop their lineup, finish eighth at both Pac-12s and NCAA regionals to not qualify for the NCAA Championship for the first time since 2017.
Holmes’ debut last month at Vanderbilt’s Mason Rudolph Championship didn’t get off to a strong start; UCLA sat 12th out of 16 teams through 36 holes. However, the Bruins recorded the lowest final round of the tournament to rise to eighth on the final leaderboard.
At the time, Holmes said, “Excited about what’s to come.”
It didn’t take long for UCLA to capitalize on that momentum. Against another loaded field, this time at the Windy City Collegiate, the Bruins tied a program record by shooting 32-under 832 to win by nine shots over host Northwestern.
Meghan Royal, who transferred from Arkansas this summer, led the way with a T-2 finish, followed by a T-4 showing from her Bruin teammate Zoe Campos. Another transfer, Kate Villegas via UC Riverside, was T-14.
“The Windy City Collegiate’s field was exceptional and to come out with a victory is simply amazing,” Holmes said. “Going into the event right after a hot round at the Mason Rudolph Championship was an advantage for us. That round was fresh in our minds and gave the team confidence in their games. I’m really proud of this team’s composure and never-give-up attitude, especially on the first day when we played 36 holes. They were patient and made some key putts to end the day, giving us a healthy lead going into the final round. It was a team effort all week and I’m really happy for our Bruins.”
Oregon was third, while three teams – Texas, Duke and Wake Forest – shared fourth. UCLA’s crosstown rival, USC, finished a disappointing ninth.