Wheeling, W. Va. – During the 2025-2026 season, the Wheeling University Women's Golf team had strong individual performances, led by talent at the top of their roster. As they enter the 2026 fall campaign, the Cardinals have gotten younger, but brought in some talented pieces to take them closer to a Mountain East Conference (MEC) Championship. The team has officially released their 2026 Fall schedule on Wednesday, with six fall tournaments, centered around top regional and conference opponents.
During the 2025 fall season, the group was young, and their success was highlighted by several individual successes. The semester started with the first of two team scores during the regular season, when the Cardinals took 6th at the Wheeling Invitational. They put up a season-best team score of 855 across the two rounds, and followed that up with an 18th place finish at the Golden Eagle Invitational in their MEC opener. Over the final three regular season tournaments, it would be the Cardinal's top two golfers competing, as they prepared for the conference championship event. The high point of the season came during the Pipesteam Classic, when senior Ella Keffer picked up her first ever tournament win, shooting an even par across two rounds. Wheeling would compete at both the Fairmont State and Ferris State Invitational to round out the year as they headed into postseason play. At the 2025 MEC Women's Golf Championships, the Cardinals would advance to the third round of competition for the first time since the 2023 season, with their veterans once again leading the way. The team would finish sixth overall, with a three-day score of 1265, while Keffer made the annual All-Tournament team.
The Cardinals may have lost their top performer from a season ago, but in her place steps several talented pieces that look to lead this year's squad. The Cardinals will start the fall on Wednesday, September 3rd, when they travel to nearby Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania for the CAL-U Invitational. It will give them an early look at some of the top teams in the region, and help them set a baseline for later in the season. They continue with that regional theme throughout the regular season, with all five of their regular season events being at regional opponents. They wrap up September with three straight regional events over the span of three weeks. It begins at the Ohio Dominican open, September 12th and 13th, as the Cardinals move into Ohio to cast their regional net father. Its then back to Pennsylvania the very next week, as the Cardinals get a look at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). They will head to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania for the West Chester Invitational, once again testing their skill against top regional talent.
The first month of the regular season wraps up with the team's longest road trip of the year, as the Cardinals head to Grand Valley State. It will be the tournament where they will face the stiffest amount of competition, in what will be their final tune-up before the 2026 MEC Women's Golf Championships. With four tournaments under their belt, the Cardinals will head to the Stonewall Resort in Elkins, West Virginia for the conference championship event. The Cardinals are very familiar with the Stonewall Course, putting together some of their best performances at the facility over the last several seasons. They will look to once again play in the third round of competition, and compete for one of the top spots in the conference. Following the conference championship event, the Cardinals will play one final tournament, heading to Ohio Dominican for a two-day tournament October 26th and 27th that will propel them into the winter break.
The Wheeling University Women's Golf team kicks off their season on Wednesday, September 3rd, when they compete at the CAL-U Invitational.
