Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
NCAA Championship (Individual)
Kotchasanmanee Continues Princeton's Legacy At NCAA Championships
May 22, 2026 | Women's Golf
2026 NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championship
May 22-25 | Omni La Costa Resort & Spa | Carlsbad, Calif.
Scoring
Television: Golf Channel
Live Streaming: Babygrande
NCAA.com Info
Thanana Kotchasanmanee is set to embark on something only four women in the history of the Ivy League have done – compete in the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championships.
Even more exclusive is the fact that the four women who’ve represented the Ivy League at the final tournament for collegiate women’s golf are all from the same program – Princeton.
Kotchasanmanee is the latest Tiger to etch her name into the record books, adding to a legacy that began with Mary Moan in 1997, continued with Kelly Shon in 2013, and most recently featured Maya Walton in 2017.
For Kotchasanmanee, her trip to Omni La Costa continues what can only be referred to as a “heater” dating back to the Ivy League Championship at Baltursol in April.
On April 26, she became the 13th Princeton women’s golfer to win the Ivy League Championship, posting a clubhouse lead at +4 that held on for a two-shot win. In the days to come, she was rightfully recognized as both the Ivy League Rookie of the Year and Ivy League Player of the Year.
12 days later, she was playing 36 holes of superb golf at Springfield Golf & Country Club in Virginia where she shot -5 over the two rounds of a U.S. Women’s Open Qualifier to earn medalist honors at the event and earn her trip to Riviera and the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open which will be held June 4-7.
Already holding one ticket to an elite golf event in California, Kotchasanmanee set her sights on another as she stepped to the tee at the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional as one of the individual entrants in the field. Needing to be the highest-finishing individual not among the five teams qualifying, Kotchasanamnee left no doubt as she rallied from six shots off the lead entering the final round to post a bogey-free 66 and storm her way to co-medalist honors – the first-ever Princeton women’s golfer to lead a Regional – and secure her spot in the NCAA Finals.
Up next for Kotchasanmanee, the first three rounds of the NCAA Championship starting on May 22. After that, the field will be cut to the Top-15 teams and the Top-9 individuals not among the 15 teams moving on. On May 25, those golfers will play for a NCAA Championship.
Before TK tees off, how do the three Tigers who previously advanced to NCAA Final recall their journeys?
“Competing at NCAAs was one of the most exciting moments for me as a Princeton student-athlete,” said Mary Moan Swanson. “At the Regional we had an hour wait on one par 3 on the back nine and I believe I still shot even par that day to advance. To play well when it means the most is an incredibly gratifying feeling. When we got to Columbus and the Finals, I have so many great memories of being on the course and competing for Princeton that week. I had to take an exam in the hotel, and then we later got to see U2 at the Ohio State football stadium. There was an amazing dinner hosted by Barbara Nicklaus at Muirfield, too. But seeing my family and roommates who made the drive from New Jersey was most special.”
Moan Swanson finished T40 at that NCAA Championship, qualifying in Princeton’s fifth year as a varsity program in 1997.
16 years later, Kelly Shon became the second Ivy Leaguer – and Princetonian – to reach NCAA Finals.
“Honestly, the words that come to mind when I remember the feeling when I realized I was moving on are pumped and grateful,” said Shon. “It’s such a hard event to qualify for, and our Princeton community is so proud to have had Tigers experience it.”
Shon went on to have the highest finish by a Tiger at a NCAA Championships, finishing T37 in Athens, Georgia in 2013.
The wait for the third Tiger – and Ivy Leaguer – to reach NCAAs was a bit shorter. Just four years later, Maya Walton earned her trip to NCAAs at a Regional held at Rich Harvest Farms in Illinois.
“There was a mix of excitement and disbelief,” said Walton. “College golf is so competitive, and as an Ivy League player you’re very aware that opportunities like that are rare. I remember feeling incredibly proud, not just personally, but proud to represent Princeton on a national stage alongside some of the top programs in the country.”
At a place like Princeton, it’s hard to find something that very few people have done. For this trio – soon to be quartet – the feeling of stepping to the tee at a NCAA Championship brings that unique experience of understanding how rare and special the moment is.
“One of the things I remember most was the atmosphere,” Walton continued. “Everything about NCAAs felt special from the energy at the course to being surrounded by so many of the best players and programs in college golf. What made it even more meaningful was getting to experience it alongside my coach and my parents.”
Not only is it special for the individuals, it is special for the program.
“Qualifying through the regional is one of the toughest things to do and to be able to accomplish that as a senior, is one of my most memorable moments as a Tiger,” said Moan Swanson. “I am a fiercely competitive person and I love that the Tigers are the only Ivy to have women's golfers qualify for the NCAA Championship.”
As Kotchasanmanee steps to the tee for her first round at Omni La Costa, what advice do the three Tigers who have made that similar walk before her have?
“The most important thing is to trust in your training and your process, but also to have fun,” said Moan Swanson. “Wear the orange and black with pride and play hard until the final putt drops!”
Shon, who went on to a LPGA career after her time at Princeton, echoed that statement.
“Just soak it in and be the best representative of your teammates and Princeton that you can be,” said Shon. “We're all proud of you and rooting you on!”
“Trust yourself and trust the game you’ve played all season to get to this point, TK,” said Walton. “A national championship can definitely feel bigger than any other tournament, but once you get out there, it’s still the same game. You don’t have to do anything extraordinary just because it’s a national championship. The players who play their best are usually the ones who stay steady and don’t get too caught up in the moment. Getting the chance to represent Princeton at NCAAs is incredibly special and something you’ll remember forever.”
Will Kotchasanmanee become the highest-finishing Princeton women’s golfer at a NCAA Finals? The next three days will tell that story. For now, she can start her NCAA journey knowing that she is in rare air among Ivy Leaguers.
