BOCA RATON, Fla. - Coming off another season among the nation's elite, the Lynn University women's golf team enters the 2026-27 campaign with a veteran roster, championship aspirations and a renewed emphasis on the preparation, confidence and team culture that have defined the program under head coach Keith Larson.
 
The Fighting Knights return five players from a squad that finished the 2025-26 season ranked No. 6 nationally and No. 4 in the NCAA South Region. Lynn recorded five top-three finishes in 11 tournaments, including four runner-up performances, and advanced to the NCAA South Regional for the fourth consecutive season.
 
Among those close finishes was the Sunshine State Conference Championship, where Lynn finished just one stroke shy of the conference title.
 
For Larson, the experience of competing for tournament titles throughout last season provided valuable lessons that his team can carry into the new campaign.
 
"I think that what would happen or what would change has probably already changed in a sense of that experience of being there and putting yourself in that situation and learning from that," Larson said. "It's not trying to do anything more. It's just trying to stay with the job at hand, staying in the process."
 
Larson also emphasized that the team's success extends beyond its performance on the golf course, pointing to the relationships and mutual support that developed throughout last season.
 
"I feel last year we played together as a team really well and I think that that had a lot to do with just a good culture that the team worked within," Larson said. "Not just at practice, but them bonding together and really supporting one another and really caring about one another."
 
Lynn enters the season with a six-player roster featuring five returners and one newcomer. The Fighting Knights bring back seniors Amelia Ruiz Topali and Nicole Yugay, juniors Emilia Koskinen and Leelou Belliard, and sophomore Vanessa Ramirez. Freshman Luciana Hernandez Fierro rounds out the roster.
 
Ruiz Topali returns for her senior campaign following another decorated season in which she earned Women's Golf Coaches Association Second Team All-America, All-South Region and First Team All-SSC honors.
 
A two-time All-American and former SSC Golfer of the Year, Ruiz Topali has established herself as one of the program's leaders both on and off the course.
 
"She sets an example of leadership and confidence," Larson said. "She is the on-the-course leader of this team within the girls and she sets an example of work ethic and effort."
 
Larson added that Ruiz Topali's leadership is reflected not only in her individual accomplishments but also in her commitment to her teammates and the example she sets during competition and practice.
 
Koskinen returns for her junior season after earning Second Team All-SSC recognition in 2025-26. The Espoo, Finland, native has spent the offseason refining her swing and preparing to build on a sophomore campaign that included several strong performances.
 
"Emmi has worked a lot on her swing over the summer to really refine some things that she knew she needed to move through," Larson said. "I never doubt her effort. I never doubt her work ethic and I know that she's doing everything in her power to be the best player that she can be."
 
Belliard, Ramirez and Yugay provide additional experience and depth to the lineup.
 
Larson highlighted Belliard's development following last spring's Lynn Invite, noting that the junior has elevated her performance while developing a calm, confident approach to competition.
 
Ramirez enters her sophomore season with another year of collegiate experience under her belt. Larson praised her work ethic and ability to identify areas of her game that need improvement.
 
Yugay, the longest-tenured member of the roster, returns for her senior season as an important presence within the team's culture. Larson described her as a unifying figure whose relationships with her teammates have helped strengthen the program's sense of togetherness.
 
The Fighting Knights also welcome Hernandez Fierro, a freshman from Queretaro, Mexico, who competed with the Club Campanario golf team.
 
Hernandez Fierro brings a competitive junior golf background that includes a victory at the 2024 Torneo de la Amistad and a third-place team finish at the 2023 Interzonas.
 
Larson believes her experience in both golf and soccer will help her adjust to the team environment while she continues developing her game.
 
"She's got a great attitude. She's very competitive," Larson said. "She's very driven to get better and to improve."
 
With a six-player roster, Larson sees the team's close-knit environment as an opportunity to strengthen communication, accountability and individual development throughout the season.
 
The Fighting Knights' international makeup continues to play an important role in the program's identity.
 
Lynn's roster features student-athletes from France, Mexico, Finland, Colombia, Chile and the United States, bringing together different backgrounds and experiences within one team.
 
Larson believes those relationships are an important part of the student-athlete experience at Lynn and provide opportunities for his players to learn from one another beyond golf.
 
The team's commitment to supporting others has also extended beyond the university.
 
As part of the Colombian earthquake relief efforts, the Lynn women's golf program organized a collection drive on campus, gathering donated items to be sent to Colombia to assist those affected by the disaster.
 
The Fighting Knights delivered the collected items for shipment to Colombia, bringing together individuals and teams from across the Lynn community in support of the relief effort.
 
The initiative reflected the program's emphasis on caring for others and the importance of the relationships that extend beyond competition. The women's golf program extends its sincere appreciation to all the individuals and teams who contributed items and helped make the collection possible.
 
For Larson, the opportunity to build those connections is among the most meaningful aspects of coaching an international roster.
 
"These girls, each one of them, are creating relationships and sisterhood with someone from each of five different countries," Larson said.
 
The Fighting Knights open their 2026-27 season on Sept. 21 at the Eckerd Invitational in Gulfport, Fla., beginning a four-tournament fall schedule.
 
Lynn will then travel to Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., for the NCAA National Championship Preview on Oct. 3 before competing at the Saint Leo Invitational on Oct. 19 and the Flagler Fall Slam on Oct. 26.
 
The National Championship Preview will give the Fighting Knights an opportunity to compete at the site of the 2027 NCAA Division II National Championship.
 
Larson believes that familiarity with the course layout will be beneficial should Lynn return to Howey-in-the-Hills in May.
 
"When you have the opportunity to play in the national championship preview, you embrace the opportunity so that it's not foreign to you," Larson said. "The more reps you can get on a golf course, the more you can learn from the experience."
 
The spring portion of the schedule begins Feb. 8 at the World Golf Invitational in St. Augustine, followed by the Lady Moc Classic in Lakeland on Feb. 22.
 
Lynn will compete at the Buccaneer Invitational in Miami Shores on March 8 before traveling to Carmel, Calif., for The Patriot Invitational on March 22.
 
The trip to California will provide the Fighting Knights with an opportunity to compete outside their usual regional schedule while experiencing a different golf environment.
 
Larson credited the members of Boca Woods Country Club for their generosity in helping make the trip possible through the program's fundraising efforts.
 
The Fighting Knights return to Boca Raton on April 5 to host the Lynn Invite at Boca Woods, their annual home tournament.
 
The event will serve as Lynn's final regular-season competition before the SSC Championship begins April 11 in Miami Beach.
 
The NCAA South Region Championship is scheduled for May 3 in Gainesville, Ga., with the NCAA National Championship set for May 10 in Howey-in-the-Hills.
 
After finishing just one stroke short of the SSC Championship last season, Lynn enters the new campaign with another opportunity to compete for conference and national honors.
 
However, Larson believes the team's success will ultimately be determined by its commitment to improving throughout the year rather than placing additional pressure on individual results.
 
"The motivation is always there," Larson said. "I want us to be playing our best golf. So the way that we're able to play our best golf then in the future is to make sure that every day we are getting better."
 
The Fighting Knights have spent the preseason emphasizing distance control, driving accuracy and the importance of preparation. Larson also plans to use tournament statistics and performance data to help his players identify areas for improvement as the season progresses.
 
With an experienced returning core, an emerging freshman and a strong sense of togetherness, Lynn will look to build on its recent postseason success while continuing to develop throughout the fall and spring.
 
For Larson, though, the measure of a successful season extends beyond tournament victories and national rankings.
 
"The initial reaction is to jump to results as the determinant of a successful season, and there is some truth to that, however, if we stick to the process of becoming better versions of ourselves, on the golf course, in the fitness center, in the classroom and as members of society, the solid results will take care of themselves," Larson said, "And that will define a successful season."
 
The Fighting Knights begin their pursuit of another postseason run on Sept. 21 at the Eckerd Invitational.