2025 Record Newspapers girls golf preview capsules

The 2025 girls golf season is underway this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Record Newspapers coverage area.

Oswego Co-op

Coach: Brian Chandler

Top returning players: Alli Wiertel, so.; Kendall Grant, sr.; Annabelle Williams, sr.

Top new players: Giselle Resendez, fr.

Worth noting: Wiertel comes in off a spectacular freshman season. The 2024 Record Newspapers Player of the Year was Southwest Prairie Conference MVP, tied for second at regional, took second at sectional, was second at the conference tournament and was fourth at the Class 2A state tournament. Oswego Co-op as a team was regional champions and finished sixth as a team at sectional, three strokes from qualifying its team for the state tournament. Grant is a second returning state qualifier who finished 24th at the state meet. Chandler said Williams, who was all-conference as a junior and shot a hole-in-one at Yorkville, has made major improvements. Resendez is a competitive player with tournament experience that Chandler said should fit in nicely with the varsity group.

“We are hoping to continue our success,” Chandler said. “Individual players have lofty expectations for themselves and the team after a successful season last year.

“We’re hoping to make a push and be SPC conference champions, regional champions and then build from last year and become a state-qualifying team. We have players with state experience and our players have taken the initiative to lead our team, give input and push their teammates to their highest potential.”

Plano

Coach: Wilson Wright

Top returning players: Abigail Chavez, sr.; Gracie Busboom, sr.; Bri Johnson, so.

Worth noting: Plano last season won six meets and had two seniors earn honorable mention in the conference standings. Chavez, Busboom and Johnson are the three returning golfers.

“They have been demonstrating their leadership skills this summer throughout practices and our youth golf camp,” Wright said. “We are excited to grow as a team this year and are hoping for a successful season.”

Sandwich

Coach: Ashley Isham

Top returning players: Brynn Butler, jr.; Fiona Legge, sr.; Gracelyn Mikkelson, so.; Olivia Holterhaus, so.; Callie Kesselring, so.; Autumn Koesler, so.; Audrey Kuntz, so.

Top new players: Charlie Gregory, fr.; Kherington Killey, fr.

Worth noting: Sandwich has seven returning players from a team that finished 1-5 in conference duals last season. Butler made the all-conference team as a junior. Isham is in her second season as head coach.

“The team has shown remarkable growth over the past year and continues to work diligently to improve their scores,” Isham said. “A key strength of the team is the dedication they demonstrate toward the sport, both during the season and in the offseason. With so many returning players and great leadership from our upperclassmen, we are optimistic about an exciting season ahead.”

Yorkville

Coach: Nicholas Cress

Top returning players: Elaina Newman, sr.; Izzy Strausberger, sr.; Destiny Barton, sr.; Abigail Plank, sr.; Janae Larson, jr.

Top new players: Molly Martinez, fr.; Caitlyn Mattsey, fr.

Worth noting: The Foxes last season finished 6-6 in dual meets, 4-5 in conference matches, in the top half of the conference standings and eighth at regional. Yorkville has a total of 20 girls out this year for golf, including 11 seniors.

“We have a lot of returning golfers and a lot of experience with 11 seniors and three juniors. We have a mix of young new talent with four freshmen and two sophomores,” Cress said. “We are looking to continue to build as we will lose a lot of great seniors after this year. We have a tough conference and schedule as always but are looking to remain competitive in matches and place toward the top half in big tournaments this year.”