Bears’ women’s golf opens season at Golfweek Fall Challenge

Central Arkansas kicked off its 2026-27 golf campaign this week at the Golfweek Fall Challenge, playing three rounds of stroke play at Caledonia Golf Club in Pawleys Island, S.C.

UCA wrapped the event at plus-44, carding a team score of 896 across the three rounds. That mark placed the Bears 16th out of 23 teams competing in the field.

There were still bright spots for the young squad. UCA players combined for 26 birdies over the three-round event, a sign the team can find scoring chances even on a tough course.

Bears sophomore Alethea Paige Gaccion turned in the top performance for the program, finishing at plus-4 for the tournament.

Gaccion built her strong week with rounds of even par, plus-1 and plus-3.

That kind of steady play from a sophomore gives UCA a reliable option to lean on as the fall slate continues.

Freshman Emma Leroy Fabry also had a solid debut, posting a plus-13 total with rounds of plus-3, plus-3 and plus-7.

Bears see mixed results across lineup

Sophomore Gudrun Thorsteinsdottir finished at plus-14 for the Bears, opening with a plus-1 round before a rougher plus-10 in the middle round and closing with a plus-3.

Senior Maggie Huett landed at plus-15, going plus-6, plus-1 and plus-8 across her three rounds.

Senior Nanami Hayakawa rounded out UCA’s scoring at plus-24, with rounds of plus-8, plus-10 and plus-6.

UNCW took home the team title at the Golfweek Fall Challenge, finishing at plus-2 with a team score of 854.

That gap shows how competitive the field was in Pawleys Island and gives the Bears a target as they keep building through the fall.

UCA won’t have much time to rest before its next test.

The Bears head to Manhattan, Kansas later this month for the Powercat Invitational, set for Sept. 28-29.

It’ll be another chance for Gaccion and her teammates to build on the birdies and lower those team scores as the season rolls on.