Return of the Champions
9/4/2023 9:44:00 AM | Women's Golf
As the Demon Deacons prepared for their final round of golf in the NCAA Championship against USC at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, earlier this year, Rachel Kuehn had a novel idea.
"If we win tomorrow, that trophy is going to be the centerpiece of Emilia's (Migliaccio) wedding," Kuehn told coach Kim Lewellen.
The Wake Forest women's golf team earned an incredible 3-1 victory over USC the following day, claiming the first national championship for the program and the 10th national championship in Wake Forest Athletics' history.
They then did precisely what Kuehn suggested, using it as a centerpiece for Migliaccio's wedding over the summer.
"We took the trophy to Raleigh, and it was the centerpiece of her wedding," Lewellen said. "So, we did get to do some celebrating there. But otherwise, everybody has been spread out. We're looking forward to getting back together.
"We won, we came back and celebrated; but then everybody went in their separate directions, because they had individual tournaments to play. We haven't really been able to get back together as a unit, aside from Emilia's wedding."
Now the trophy is featured in the Wake Forest women's golf burgeoning trophy case in the Haddock House at the Arnold Palmer Golf Complex.
Having joined back together on campus with a couple of fresh faces as the fall semester gets started, the Deacs have one goal in mind — compete for a second-straight national championship.
"Obviously we're coming off a national championship, but I feel the young ladies coming in have had a taste of it and now they want it again," Lewellen said. "I think we'll be able to hopefully give it a run for its money again this season."
With their eligibility exhausted, both Migliaccio and Lauren Walsh are now off to pursue their professional careers, while a pair of highly touted freshmen join the team: Macy Pate from Reagan High School right here in Winston-Salem and Brooke Rivers from Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
"Both of these ladies are really nice players," Lewellen said. "They have competed high at the national level. Macy won the North-South Junior by quite a bit this summer. Brooke finished second in the Canadian National and got a sponsored exemption to the Canadian Open.
"They are similar to Emilia and Lauren. Macy is a steady eddy player and is usually around par or under. She's really dependable and strong-minded. Brooke Rivers is a lot like Lauren. She's a bomber and hits it a long way. She's an offensive player who gets a lot of birdies. They mimic what we lost, which is a good thing, since we had such a dynamic team last year."
The two freshmen join a formidable group of Demon Deacon golfers who have already been tested on the national scene against the toughest competition in the country.
"We have Anne-Sterre den Dunnen returning, who was our sixth player last year," Lewellen said. "She's had a great summer with multiple wins in Europe. Carolina Chacarra and Mimi Rhodes are returning, having both played for their national teams this summer. Everybody is coming off a good summer, so we're excited for what's in store."
Of course, anchoring the team is two-time ACC Golfer of the Year Rachel Kuehn, who returns to Wake Forest for her fifth season, becoming the first women's golfer to earn the prestigious Arnold Palmer Scholarship.
"It's just amazing for her to come back as a fifth-year reigning ACC Player of the Year with all the accolades — ACC Scholar Athlete of the Year, All-American and top-10 player in the world," Lewellen said. "For her to return and receive that scholarship is amazing, especially for it being the first time a female athlete has earned that award.
"The trajectory for women's athletics just continues to soar, and that's exciting for our program and women's sports in general."
With all those accolades, what is left to prove for Kuehn?
"She doesn't have a lot to prove," Lewellen answered. "She's done about everything you can do in college golf. She's a fifth-year player, who is using her Covid year. It's a game changer to have that maturity on your team. She's going to take this year and grow into what she needs as a professional athlete. She went out this year and played in some LPGA events and did well. She found out a little about what she can do next to become an exceptional professional player. She wants to go out there and perform for championships.
"She's going out there to help us, of course, but also use this as preparation for her golf career moving forward."
The full 2023-24 schedule was recently announced, including multiple events that will be featured on national TV. The Deacs play in the ANNIKA Intercollegiate at Royal Golf Club in Minnesota in September and the Jackson T. Stephens Cup in Dallas in October, before heading to the East Lake Cup in Atlanta, Georgia later that month. They also play events in Chicago and Oklahoma in September and October.
"The spring is our championship season, but the fall is important for your rankings," Lewellen said. "You need to come out of the gate strong. We're going to play some events which will be televised, which helps grow women's sports.
"It's a fun, exciting fall schedule. These ladies have earned a great schedule, so I'm excited for them to have the opportunity to play in these events."
Lewellen and Lyons Family Associate Head Coach Ryan Potter coach the team a bit differently in the fall than in the spring, and those methods vary even more with a couple of key freshmen joining the squad.
"We do have two young players coming in who we haven't watched that much," Lewellen said. "Typically, in the fall we'll put them out there in competition and observe and take notes, planning to grow those young ones to get ready in the spring. We're more observational than hands-on during the fall, at least during competition. At practice, we're much more hands-on.
"In the spring it's completely different and becomes more golf-course navigation. Hopefully by then we have the freshmen figured out and on a trajectory of improvement. Then we are navigating the golf course to help everyone gain a few strokes."
Less than two months after securing the national championship, Wake Forest announced a long-term contract extension for Lewellen.
"From the moment I've stepped foot on the campus of Wake Forest, I've loved it here," she said. "The community at Wake Forest is like no other. I've really enjoyed the community and enjoyed working for John Currie and the athletic department. It's a great place for me and my family, and I hope this will be my last stop in my coaching career, which won't be for a long time."
"If we win tomorrow, that trophy is going to be the centerpiece of Emilia's (Migliaccio) wedding," Kuehn told coach Kim Lewellen.
The Wake Forest women's golf team earned an incredible 3-1 victory over USC the following day, claiming the first national championship for the program and the 10th national championship in Wake Forest Athletics' history.
They then did precisely what Kuehn suggested, using it as a centerpiece for Migliaccio's wedding over the summer.
"We took the trophy to Raleigh, and it was the centerpiece of her wedding," Lewellen said. "So, we did get to do some celebrating there. But otherwise, everybody has been spread out. We're looking forward to getting back together.
"We won, we came back and celebrated; but then everybody went in their separate directions, because they had individual tournaments to play. We haven't really been able to get back together as a unit, aside from Emilia's wedding."
Now the trophy is featured in the Wake Forest women's golf burgeoning trophy case in the Haddock House at the Arnold Palmer Golf Complex.
Having joined back together on campus with a couple of fresh faces as the fall semester gets started, the Deacs have one goal in mind — compete for a second-straight national championship.
"Obviously we're coming off a national championship, but I feel the young ladies coming in have had a taste of it and now they want it again," Lewellen said. "I think we'll be able to hopefully give it a run for its money again this season."
With their eligibility exhausted, both Migliaccio and Lauren Walsh are now off to pursue their professional careers, while a pair of highly touted freshmen join the team: Macy Pate from Reagan High School right here in Winston-Salem and Brooke Rivers from Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
"Both of these ladies are really nice players," Lewellen said. "They have competed high at the national level. Macy won the North-South Junior by quite a bit this summer. Brooke finished second in the Canadian National and got a sponsored exemption to the Canadian Open.
"They are similar to Emilia and Lauren. Macy is a steady eddy player and is usually around par or under. She's really dependable and strong-minded. Brooke Rivers is a lot like Lauren. She's a bomber and hits it a long way. She's an offensive player who gets a lot of birdies. They mimic what we lost, which is a good thing, since we had such a dynamic team last year."
The two freshmen join a formidable group of Demon Deacon golfers who have already been tested on the national scene against the toughest competition in the country.
"We have Anne-Sterre den Dunnen returning, who was our sixth player last year," Lewellen said. "She's had a great summer with multiple wins in Europe. Carolina Chacarra and Mimi Rhodes are returning, having both played for their national teams this summer. Everybody is coming off a good summer, so we're excited for what's in store."
Of course, anchoring the team is two-time ACC Golfer of the Year Rachel Kuehn, who returns to Wake Forest for her fifth season, becoming the first women's golfer to earn the prestigious Arnold Palmer Scholarship.
"It's just amazing for her to come back as a fifth-year reigning ACC Player of the Year with all the accolades — ACC Scholar Athlete of the Year, All-American and top-10 player in the world," Lewellen said. "For her to return and receive that scholarship is amazing, especially for it being the first time a female athlete has earned that award.
"The trajectory for women's athletics just continues to soar, and that's exciting for our program and women's sports in general."
With all those accolades, what is left to prove for Kuehn?
"She doesn't have a lot to prove," Lewellen answered. "She's done about everything you can do in college golf. She's a fifth-year player, who is using her Covid year. It's a game changer to have that maturity on your team. She's going to take this year and grow into what she needs as a professional athlete. She went out this year and played in some LPGA events and did well. She found out a little about what she can do next to become an exceptional professional player. She wants to go out there and perform for championships.
"She's going out there to help us, of course, but also use this as preparation for her golf career moving forward."
The full 2023-24 schedule was recently announced, including multiple events that will be featured on national TV. The Deacs play in the ANNIKA Intercollegiate at Royal Golf Club in Minnesota in September and the Jackson T. Stephens Cup in Dallas in October, before heading to the East Lake Cup in Atlanta, Georgia later that month. They also play events in Chicago and Oklahoma in September and October.
"The spring is our championship season, but the fall is important for your rankings," Lewellen said. "You need to come out of the gate strong. We're going to play some events which will be televised, which helps grow women's sports.
"It's a fun, exciting fall schedule. These ladies have earned a great schedule, so I'm excited for them to have the opportunity to play in these events."
Lewellen and Lyons Family Associate Head Coach Ryan Potter coach the team a bit differently in the fall than in the spring, and those methods vary even more with a couple of key freshmen joining the squad.
"We do have two young players coming in who we haven't watched that much," Lewellen said. "Typically, in the fall we'll put them out there in competition and observe and take notes, planning to grow those young ones to get ready in the spring. We're more observational than hands-on during the fall, at least during competition. At practice, we're much more hands-on.
"In the spring it's completely different and becomes more golf-course navigation. Hopefully by then we have the freshmen figured out and on a trajectory of improvement. Then we are navigating the golf course to help everyone gain a few strokes."
Less than two months after securing the national championship, Wake Forest announced a long-term contract extension for Lewellen.
"From the moment I've stepped foot on the campus of Wake Forest, I've loved it here," she said. "The community at Wake Forest is like no other. I've really enjoyed the community and enjoyed working for John Currie and the athletic department. It's a great place for me and my family, and I hope this will be my last stop in my coaching career, which won't be for a long time."
Players Mentioned
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