Los Angeles - As the head coach of the UCLA women's golf team, Alicia Um Holmes has had amazing success in her first season, earning her the title of Golfweek Coach of the Year.
Um Holmes became UCLA's head coach this year after serving as an assistant coach for the past 17 seasons. She led the Bruins to an incredible showing at the NCAA Championships, where they placed second, in her first season in charge.
Under Um Holmes' leadership, the Bruins claimed four tournament titles over the course of the season. They won the Windy City Collegiate Classic in October, The Match in the Desert in January, the Nanea Pac-12 Preview in February, and The Show tournament in March.
The Bruins impressed with their consistency throughout the season. Early on at the Mason Rudolph Championship in September, all five UCLA golfers shot under par on one round with a stunning team score of 15-under par. This momentum carried through to their next tournament where they shot a program-record tying 16-under.
At the NCAA Championships, UCLA made the cut for match play and defeated Texas A&M and Oregon before falling to Stanford in the thrilling final. This runner-up finish was the fifth in program history for the successful Bruins golf program.
Individually, Zoe Antoinette Campos was named to the Annika Award Watch List and earned first-team All-American honors for the second year running. Caroline Canales received her first All-American honorable mention as well.
This incredibly promising first season under Um Holmes culminated in her being honored as Golfweek Coach of the Year, joining previous UCLA coach Carrie Forsyth in receiving the prestigious award. With Um Holmes at the helm, the future looks extremely bright for UCLA women's golf.
THAT'S OUR COACH 🫡
— UCLA Women's Golf (@UCLAWomensGolf) June 6, 2024
Alicia Um Holmes has been named the @Golfweek Women's Coach of the Year in her first year leading the program!
ℹ️: https://t.co/1jxvc1hO1I #GoBruins | @uclaalicia pic.twitter.com/wGAQMQHwWm
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What strategies did Alicia Um Holmes use to lead the Bruins to the national runners-up position?
Early-Season Surge: The Bruins got off to a great start this year. In the Mason Rudolph Championship, all five of its players shot under par in the third round, which led to the fifth-lowest 18-hole score in school history.
Tournament Wins: The team won four tournaments during the season, including the Windy City Collegiate Classic, The Match in the Desert, Nanea Pac-12 Preview, and The Show.
National Recognition: Multiple players received national and conference recognition, with Zoe Antoinette Campos being named to the ANNIKA Award Final Watch List and a WGCA First Team All-American for the second straight season. Junior Caroline Canales also received recognition.
Team Values: Um Holmes emphasized the importance of team values, which led to many fantastic moments throughout the season. She expressed gratitude for her coaching staff and mentor Carrie Forsyth for their support.
Mental Preparation: The team's strong performance in the NCAA Championships, where they made the eight-team cut line for match play and defeated Texas A&M and Oregon before falling to Stanford in the final, demonstrated their mental toughness and preparedness
What were the standout performances by UCLA players under Alicia Um Holmes' coaching?
Zoe Antoinette Campos:
Named to the ANNIKA Award Final Watch List.
Selected as a WGCA First Team All-American for the second consecutive season.
Caroline Canales:
Received national and conference recognition.
These performances contributed significantly to the Bruins' success under Um Holmes' leadership, culminating in their national runners-up finish at the NCAA Championships
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