DBU REPORT 30 The DBU Women’s Golf team won their second NCAA Division II National Championship in the last three years after the Patriots clinched this year’s title at the Fox Run Golf Club in Eureka, Missouri. DBU posted the top spot on the team leaderboard through three rounds of action to qualify as one of eight teams to advance to Medal Match play. Following wins over Eastbay and Lynn University, the Patriots held off four-time national champions Nova Southeastern, 3-2, to finish the 2022-2023 season as the top team in the nation. Playing in their seventh consecutive NCAA Division II National Championship, the Patriots claimed their second national title in Medal Match play since the NCAA went to the format in 2019. “I just love walking in this journey with these girls and am just so happy for everyone involved,” DBU Head Golf Coach Kenny Trapp remarked. “It truly takes a village and players that buy-in, and this group exemplifies everything on and off the course that it takes to be a champion. It’s humbling and grateful to be a part of something special to so many. At season’s end, four Patriots earned All-American honors from the Women’s Golf Coaches Association, including First Team All-Americans Julia Garcia, Jordan Karrh, and Olivia Mitchell, along with Second Team selection Faith DeLaGarza. Garcia, a senior from Belton, Texas, earned All-American honors for the fourth time in her decorated career. This year’s Lone Star Conference Player of the Year, Garcia finished the year ranked the No. 12 player in the nation according to Golfstat after posting the country’s No. 2 scoring average (72.64). Karrh was tabbed a First Team All-American for the second consecutive year after being named the WGCA National Freshman of the Year in 2022. A redshirt sophomore from Frisco, Texas, Karrh capped off the season ranked the No. 10 player in the nation, and her 123 birdies were second-most at the Division II level. Mitchell, a junior from Plano, Texas, garnered AllAmerican honors for the third straight year and was named a First Team selection for the second time in her career. Mitchell finished the season ranked as the No. 3 player in the country. Her average score of 72.75 was fourth-best in the nation, and she led the NCAA Division II ranks in birdies (124). In the final season of one of the most decorated careers in school history, Faith DeLaGarza was named an All-American for the fourth time. Her 74.02 average score ranked as the eight-lowest in the country, and she recorded a school record 430 birdies during her playing career at DBU. Along with All-Americans honors, DBU’s Kenny Trapp was awarded the Jackie Steinmann WGCA National Coach of the Year, marking the third time in Trapp’s career that he has been recognized as the National Coach of the Year after also winning the award in both 2020 and 2021. During DBU’s run to a national title in 2023, Trapp led the Patriots to nine tournament wins. The Patriots finished the season ranked No. 1 in the nation by Golfstat and posted the nation’s top- scoring average. DBU finished the season with a Division II record of 155-5-1 and compiled an impressive record of 64-5-1 versus top 25 teams and were 27-5-1 against teams ranked in the top 10. WOMEN’S GOLF WINS SECOND NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
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