PREVIEW: Women’s Golf Opens Season at ANNIKA Intercollegiate

LAKE ELMO, Minn. – A new era begins in University of Houston Women's Golf history when the Cougars tee off at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on Monday morning.

The Cougars start their first season under Carolyn Macow Leatherwood Head Coach Rachel Pollock, who was hired in June. Pollock, who was an award-winning coach at ULM for the previous five seasons, became the third coach in program history with her hiring.

In five seasons at ULM, Pollock led the Warhawks to two NCAA Regional team appearances and two individual qualifiers as well as an individual berth to the 2026 NCAA Championships. Her program won a pair of Sun Belt Conference Championships titles (2026, 2023) and produced two Sun Belt Conference Players of the Year and a Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year Anna Andrysova.

Pollock's teams won at least two team tournament championships in each of her last four seasons. After setting a school single-season record with five tournament titles in in 2022-23, her final ULM squad equaled that mark.

During her career, Pollock guided 10 All-Sun Belt Conference honorees with three First-Team selections, and five student-athletes received Sun Belt Conference All-Tournament Team recognition. Six student-athletes won nine individual tournament championships during her tenure.

In recognition of her team's accomplishments, she was honored as the 2026 and 2023 Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year and received similar honors from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association in 2023.

Schools will play 18 holes each day with the Final Round teeing off Wednesday morning.

LIVE SCORING
Fans can follow live scoring at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M by clicking here.

TEAM FIELD
The Cougars will compete in a 12-team field featuring Virginia, Wake Forest, Missouri, UCLA, South Carolina, USC, Oregon, Auburn, North Carolina, Kansas State and host Minnesota.

MEET the COUGARS
The Cougars will be represented by senior Daniela Campillo Martinez, junior Emilia Väistö, senior Ellen Yates, sophomore Sadie Adams and senior Jackie Gonzalez Howard.

Väisto returns as the Cougars' leading performer from a year ago. The Sienajoki, Finland native competed in 10 tournaments a year ago and was a member of Houston's starting lineup at the Big 12 Championships and NCAA Simpsonville Regional, where the Cougars finished second in each.

With that, Houston clinched its first team appearance at the NCAA Championships in program history.

Yates begins her senior season after playing in five tournaments a year ago. She tied for 21^st at the Schooner Fall Classic to open the 2025-26 season and was a member of the Spring Academic All-Big 12 Team and the Big 12 Commissioner's Spring Honor Roll.

As a freshman in 2023-24, Yates made program history by winning the individual crown at the Sam Golden Invitational at Oakmont Country Club in Corinth, Texas (Sept. 11-12, 2023).

She became the first student-athlete in program history to win a title in her collegiate debut and joined Moa Svedenskiöld as the only freshmen in school history to win medalist honors.

Adams competed in 11 rounds over four tournaments during her first collegiate season a year ago. The Burnley, Lancashire, England, native tied for 17^th at The Bear Brawl at Ridgewood Country Club in Waco, Texas (Oct. 28, 2025) and was named to the Big 12 Academic All-Rookie Team and the Big 12 Commissioner's Spring Honor Roll.

Campillo Martinez and Gonzalez Howard are two of the newest Cougars after transferring to Houston during the summer.

Campillo Martinez was a three-time All-Sun Belt Conference performer for Pollock at ULM and was a two-time member of the league's All-Tournament Team. The Viladecans, Barcelona, Spain, native has captured a pair of tournament individual titles at the ULM Invitational (March 31-April 1) and the Jayhawk Invitational (Aug. 24-25, 2025) during his career.

Gonzalez Howard spent here first three seasons at UT Rio Grande Valley before transferring to NCAA Division II Wingate. There, she competed in 34 rounds across 12 tournaments and tied for season at the season-opening South Regional Preview at Cleveland Country Club in Chattanooga, Tenn.

TEE TIMES
For Monday's First Round, the Cougars will compete in groups with student-athletes from South Carolina and Missouri with a split-tee start off No. 10.

Gonzalez Howard begins the day at 9:25 a.m. with Adams (9:35 a.m.), Yates (9:45 a.m.), Väistö (9:55 a.m.) and Campillo Martinez (10:05 a.m.) following.

Fans can find complete ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M tee times and pairings by clicking here.

SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Women's Golf by providing NIL opportunities and by joining the P.A.R. 4 Club, which provides financial support directly to Houston Women's Golf for needs beyond its operating budget.

STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarWGolf on X and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarWGolf or on the team's Instagram page at UHCougarWGolf.

– UHCougars.com –

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