FGCU women’s golf team eyes three straight tournament titles

The Florida Gulf Coast University women's golf program is having its best season so far.

The Eagles won back-to-back team and individual tournament titles, and now they have their eyes on winning three straight.

The FGCU women's golf team is ranked 32nd in the NCAA, the team's highest in a non-COVID year.

There's just a lot of competition at home. Freshmen have come in and played well, but of course, the returners have had good summers and come in and really played well.

The rank comes after back-to-back tournament wins at the Johnnie Imes Invitational and the Pat Bradley Invitational.

"We were all so excited! We're like, 'What's going on?' but, I mean, we knew we could do it. It was just a matter of time," said junior golfer Amelie Alcantara.

Alcantara is one of two returns to win the individual titles at the team's opening tournaments.

Alcantara won the Johnie Imes and tied for third at the Pat Bradley, earning her a rank of 54th nationally and making her the only Atlantic Sun golfer in the top 150.

"I think we're just maybe a little more confident this year. Especially after the first tournament, knowing we could win it, and going into the second one, we had that over our shoulders and just the good players," said Alcantara.

Her teammate, junior Lousiane Gauthier, took first at the Pat Bradley Invitational.

"When golf is great, it's just fun to play golf. Then you feel more happy on the golf course, and then with the team, of course, everything is working very good. So that helps and just goes on from there," said Gauthier.

With four trophies already under their belts, the Eagles are building momentum for the Diamante intercollegiate in Arkansas this weekend.

Swinging for another program record: a three-peat, the Eagles ranking puts them ahead of in-state rival UCF and several other power four schools.

They're likely to improve that ranking with a win in Little Rock. The Diamante intercollegiate tees off on Sunday.