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Fox Valley Conference
Crystal Lake Central co-op
(with Cary-Grove and Crystal Lake South)
Coach: Kyle McCaughn (second season)
Top returners: Julie Newton (CLS), sr.; Rylie Schurter (CLC), jr.; Kathryn Bevill (CLC), so.; Hannah Puma (CLC), sr.; Emily Mueller (C-G), so.
Key newcomers: Molly Lyne (C-G) fr.; Isabelle Harris (CLC), fr.; Bernadette King, (CLC), fr.; Arden Podpora (CLC), so.; Caitlyn Ullrick (CLC), fr.
Worth noting: The Tigers earned their sixth straight McHenry County Tournament and third straight FVC Tournament titles, placing third at regionals and advancing to sectionals for the sixth consecutive season. Schurter and Bevill each earned all-conference and all-county honors. Bevill was a Northwest Herald All-Area second-team pick and was three shots away from state.
Dundee-Crown
Coach: Laurie Herb (10th season)
Top returners: Hannah Gestrich, so.; Alyssa Trebat, so.; Micki Frey, sr.
Worth noting: The Chargers placed sixth at the FVC Tournament and lost their top golfer, Kylie Kost, to graduation. Gestrich, Trebat and Frey all scored for D-C at the conference meet. The Chargers went 5-6 overall in dual matches, winning twice in conference.
"We have a good mixture of veteran talent and young players who will contribute greatly to our success this season," Herb said. "We are excited to build on the victories we had last and look forward to continuing to be more competitive."
Hampshire
Coach: Sue Ellett (sixth season)
Top returners: Rachel Dumoulin, sr.; Sydney Marcuccilli, jr.; Jade Swanson, so.; Makenzie Opat, so.; Grace Fuller, so.
Key newcomers: Kiele Moraska, jr.; Alyson Johnson, so.; Tanvi Sangam, so.; Alyssa Tirado, so.; Gianna Farinella, fr.; Grace Gagliano-Campbell, fr.; Alexis Konajeski, fr.; Delaney Marcuccilli, fr.
Worth noting: Hampshire was a co-op with Jacobs because of low numbers, but the Whip-Purs had 14 players attend tryouts. Ellett started the Hampshire program 10 years ago, coaching for five years.
"The Whip-Purs are very young with solid leadership from the returning players," Ellett said. "We are working hard on improving our short game and consistent ball striking. We will definitely be a better team come October through hard work at practice."
Huntley
Coach: Ann Christiansen (eighth season)
Top returners: Caroline Giorgi, sr.; Nicole Gordus, sr.; Katie Weidner, jr., Maggie Matustik, jr.; Molly Danca, sr.; McKenzie Krich, jr.
Worth noting: Huntley came close to qualifying for sectionals, placing fourth at regionals, five shots behind Crystal Lake Central co-op. The Red Raiders return their top three (Giorgi, Gordus and Weidner) from last year's FVC runner-up. All three advanced to sectionals and were named all-conference. Matustik also earned all-conference honors, and Giorgi was all-county.
"The girls have worked really hard this summer and are ready to compete," Christiansen said.
Jacobs
Coach: Megan Placko (third season)
Top returners: Stephanie Fiorentino, sr.; Nicole Durben, sr.; Jennifer LeGear, sr.; Carly Sidor, sr.; Hayley Masching, sr.
Key newcomers: Roslyn Leitner, fr.; Lauren Kempf, fr.
Worth noting: The Golden Eagles took second at the McHenry County Meet and third at the FVC Meet. Fiorentino was a Northwest Herald All-Area second-team selection and finished second at the conference tournament and fourth at county. She advanced to sectionals, while Durben was named all-conference.
"We're very excited for the upcoming season," Placko said. "Our returning seniors have been working hard for the past four years and this should hopefully be our most successful season yet."
McHenry
Coach: Sean Sterner (fourth season)
Top returners: Maddie Ogden, sr., Hannah Ogden, sr., Joely Pugliese, jr.
Key newcomers: Sarah Fergus, fr.
Worth noting: The Warriors placed fourth at the FVC Tournament and fifth at the county meet. Maddie Ogden averaged a 43 and earned all-conference and all-county honors, and Hannah Ogden made all-county. McHenry holds the "Mac Burg Cup," a traveling trophy between the Warriors and Johnsburg.
"I'm looking forward to watching the girls improve throughout the season," Sterner said. "Maddie and Hannah are the senior leaders and will have a positive influence on the younger girls in the program."
Prairie Ridge
Coach: Pattie Hie (15th season)
Top returners: Morgan Taylor, so.; Sophia Pascente, so.; Lindsey Warren, sr.; Megan Diskin, sr.; Katie Frey, jr.; Karsen Gilmore, jr.; Grace VanHyfte, so.
Key newcomers: Katie Gilmore, fr.; Jamie Schneider, fr.; Joie Gindorf, fr.
Worth noting: The Wolves placed fifth at the FVC Meet. Taylor, who earned all-county honors as a freshman, was the McHenry County Junior Golf Association's Junior Girls Golfer of the Year. Pascente and VanHyfte had successful summers, showing a lot of improvement, Hie said.
"We are very excited about the upcoming season," Hie said. "We are excited to see the abilities of our new players. Each come in with some experience, which isn't always the case for us."
Kishwaukee River Conference
Harvard
Coach: Doug Sijersen (eighth season)
Top returner: Elizabeth Wright, sr.
Key newcomer: Jennah Brookner, fr
Worth noting: Numbers are down this year, Sijersen said, but the Hornets return their top golfer in Wright.
Johnsburg
Coach: Chris O’Niel (eighth season)
Top returners: Natalie Flynn, sr.; Lauren Winter, jr.; Julia Warden, jr.; Sami Lorentz, sr.; Elizabeth Seabert, sr.; Ceara Mulvey, so.
Key newcomers: Sarah Angel, sr.
Worth noting: Three of the top four golfers return for the Skyhawks. Johnsburg advanced to sectionals last year, placing fifth after a runner-up finish at regionals. Flynn earned all-conference honors, and Winter earned all-county honors and placed third at regionals.
"It should be an exciting year with a new conference, coupled with some new tournaments against great competition to help get the girls ready for postseason play," O'Niel said.
Marengo
Coach: Nate Wright (ninth season)
Top returners: Nina Reed, sr.; Paige Schulze, sr.; Alyssa Pfaff, sr.; Jess Ruelius, sr.
Key newcomers: Madelynn Witwicki, jr.; Olivia Ring, jr.; Caitlin Alejandre, jr.; Mackenzie Smith, so.
Worth noting: The Indians, who finished ninth at the BNC Tournament, return four of their top six golfers. Schulze was named all-county with a top-12 finish at the McHenry County Tournament, and Pfaff earned all-conference honorable mention honors with a top-15 finish at the BNC Tournament.
"The top four should post solid scores keeping us competitive in most matches, while the other girls are starting to show some real promise," Wright said.
Richmond-Burton
Coach: Brandon Creason (eighth season)
Top returners: Mackenzie Hahn, sr., Lauryn Davis, so.; Haylie Regnier, sr.; Megan Klode, jr.
Key newcomers: Darci Retherford, fr.; Ellie Lappen, fr.; Maggie Ortmeyer, fr.; Addie Walleck, fr.; Michaela Splitt, fr.
Worth noting: Hahn is the defending Northwest Herald Girls Golfer of the Year after taking fourth at the Class A state meet. She was also crowned the BNC individual champion. Davis made all-conference and all-county as a freshman, placing sixth at both the county meet and the BNC Meet. The Rockets advanced to sectionals as a team.
Woodstock co-op
(Woodstock and Woodstock North)
Coach: Brent Filetti (first season)
Key returners: Daniela Miranda (WN), sr.; Lynsie Pietrzak (W), jr.; Kenna Miles (W), so.
Worth noting: Miranda became the first Woodstock North golfer (girls or boys) to advance to the Class A state tournament. Pietrzak and Miles each advanced to sectionals. Filetti takes over for longtime coach J.C. Wise, who retired after 22 years of coaching.
"We coach our athletes to compete on every hole, and to always find the positive in every round," Filetti said. "You are only as good as your next shot, so keep your foot on the gas pedal."
East Suburban Catholic Conference
Marian Central
Coach: Erin Carver (second season)
Top returners: Sophia Archos, sr.; Maria Mercurio, jr.; Ally McNulty, jr.; Lucca Kenyon, jr.; Kelly Anderson, so.
Key newcomers: Lizzie Harding, fr.; Nora Kelly, fr.; Rubi Miderski, so.
Worth noting: Archos, a Northwest Herald All-Area first team selection last year, fired a 74 at the McHenry County Meet to claim medalist honors and finished third at regionals. She missed the state cut by three strokes at sectionals, while Mercurio qualified for sectionals as a sophomore. The Hurricanes took fifth at the conference meet, with McNulty shooting their lowest score.