Towson Women’s Golf Finishes Fifth at Navy Fall Invitational as Grace Oristian Earns Top-10 Finish
By Brian Hradsky | Maryland Sports Blog | October 8, 2026
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Towson University women’s golf continued its fall season with a fifth-place finish at the Navy Fall Invitational, held October 3-4 at the United States Naval Academy Golf Club. Senior Grace Oristian led the Tigers with a tie for ninth place individually, delivering another strong performance following her fifth-place finish earlier in the week at the Golf Galaxy Collegiate. Towson finished the 36-hole tournament at 66-over par, competing against nine other programs in the two-day event. The Tigers entered the final round in fourth place before slipping one position, but their performance included several encouraging individual accomplishments.
The tournament marked Towson’s fourth consecutive appearance at the Navy Fall Invitational and provided another opportunity to evaluate its lineup against regional competition. The event featured host Navy, Stetson, Howard, Manhattan, Monmouth, Hofstra, Long Island University, Mount St. Mary’s and Delaware State. Players competed on the Naval Academy’s par-72 course, which measured 6,084 yards and presented additional challenges because of rainy conditions during the opening round. Towson entered the competition following a fourth-place finish at the inaugural Golf Galaxy Collegiate, giving the Tigers an opportunity to build momentum during a busy stretch of their fall schedule.
Grace Oristian Leads Towson With Ninth-Place Finish
Oristian continued establishing herself as Towson’s leading individual performer, finishing tied for ninth in the tournament standings. The senior recorded seven birdies across the two rounds, the most of any Towson golfer, while also limiting costly mistakes throughout the competition. She finished with only one double bogey or worse and tied for seventh in par-five scoring at even par. Her ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities while avoiding major setbacks played an important role in keeping Towson competitive.
Oristian began the tournament with an impressive opening round, recording five birdies despite the wet playing conditions. Two of those birdies came on her final two holes, providing a strong finish and leaving her tied for 10th place after the first day. She carried that momentum into Sunday’s final round, adding two more birdies and producing a particularly strong stretch late in her round. By making par on the 17th hole, Oristian completed a six-hole stretch at one-under par, demonstrating the consistency that helped her secure another top-10 finish.
The result represented another encouraging performance for Oristian, who had already recorded a fifth-place finish at the Golf Galaxy Collegiate earlier in the week. She also improved significantly upon her previous appearance at the Navy Fall Invitational, where she tied for 26th in 2025. Her continued improvement provides Towson with an experienced leader capable of competing near the top of tournament leaderboards. With the fall season approaching its conclusion, Oristian has positioned herself as an important contributor heading into the spring schedule.
Tigers Show Promise During Rain-Soaked Opening Round
Towson opened the Navy Fall Invitational with a team score of 31-over par, placing fourth after the first 18 holes. The Tigers performed particularly well on par-three holes, ranking second in the field at four-over par. Towson also tied for the second-most birdies during the opening round with 10, highlighting its ability to create scoring opportunities despite the difficult conditions. Five different Tigers recorded at least one birdie, demonstrating that the team received contributions throughout its lineup.
Luciana Calbimonte provided an encouraging start by recording a birdie on the 10th hole, the first hole of her round. Freshman London Rinaldi also opened steadily, making par on her first three holes before continuing to navigate the challenging course. Oristian’s five birdies were tied for the most among all competitors in the opening round, giving Towson another important individual performance. Although the Tigers trailed the tournament leaders, their fourth-place position left them within reach of another strong team finish.
London Rinaldi and Tatyana Smith Contribute
Freshman London Rinaldi demonstrated encouraging consistency throughout the tournament, particularly on the shorter holes. She finished tied for fifth in par-three scoring at one-over par, placing her among the better performers in that category. During Sunday’s final round, Rinaldi made par on the first five holes of the front nine, providing a steady stretch of golf. Her performance offered another positive sign for a young player gaining valuable experience in collegiate tournament competition.
Fellow freshman Tatyana Smith also demonstrated resilience during the final round after encountering difficulties earlier in her performance. Smith recovered by making par on her final six holes, finishing the tournament with a strong stretch of consistent play. The ability to regroup following challenging holes is an important part of collegiate golf, where a single mistake can quickly affect a player’s overall score. Smith’s closing performance provided an encouraging example of the composure Towson will need from its younger players moving forward.
Stetson Wins Tournament as Navy’s Emma Tang Claims Individual Title
The team championship produced one of the tournament’s most dramatic finishes, with Stetson overcoming a 13-stroke deficit during Sunday’s final round. The Hatters posted a tournament-best 300 in the second round, improving nine strokes from their opening-round 309. That performance allowed Stetson to finish tied with host Navy at 33-over par, with both programs recording 609 strokes over 36 holes. Stetson ultimately secured the championship through a playoff tiebreaker, while Navy finished as runner-up.
Navy senior Emma Tang captured the individual championship with a two-round score of 142, finishing two-under par. Howard’s Paris Fieldings placed second at three-over par, while Stetson’s Isaki Sakashita and Manhattan’s Miren Ontanon tied for third at five-over. Howard finished third in the team competition at 38-over par, followed by Manhattan at 63-over and Towson at 66-over. The Tigers finished just three strokes behind Manhattan, illustrating how closely contested the final positions were.
Navy Fall Invitational Final Team Standings
| Finish | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stetson | +33 (609), playoff winner |
| 2 | Navy | +33 (609) |
| 3 | Howard | +38 (614) |
| 4 | Manhattan | +63 (639) |
| 5 | Towson | +66 (642) |
Final team standings, top five.
Towson’s fifth-place finish represented a respectable result against a competitive field, although the Tigers will undoubtedly be disappointed about slipping from fourth after the opening round. Their final total of 642 strokes left them 33 shots behind the tournament champions but only three behind Manhattan. The narrow margin separating fourth and fifth demonstrates the importance of limiting unnecessary strokes during a two-round tournament. Even a modest improvement in the final round could have changed Towson’s position in the standings.
Tigers Prepare for Final Fall Tournament at Lehigh
Towson will conclude its fall tournament schedule at the Lehigh Invitational on October 26-27. The event will provide the Tigers with another opportunity to measure their progress before shifting their attention toward preparations for the spring season. Oristian will look to continue her strong individual performances, while younger players such as Rinaldi and Smith will have additional opportunities to gain experience. Improving consistency across both rounds will be particularly important after Towson dropped one position during the final day in Annapolis.
The Tigers have demonstrated encouraging potential throughout the fall, recording consecutive top-five team finishes at the Golf Galaxy Collegiate and Navy Fall Invitational. Oristian’s individual success has been particularly valuable, providing the team with a reliable competitor capable of challenging for high placements. Towson also has an opportunity to develop greater depth behind its senior leader, especially with freshmen gaining experience in competitive tournament environments. A strong showing at Lehigh would provide an encouraging conclusion to the fall schedule and help establish momentum for the spring.
MSB Take
Towson’s fifth-place finish at the Navy Fall Invitational was a solid performance, but there is still room for improvement before the Tigers can consistently challenge the strongest teams in tournament competition. Grace Oristian continues to be the team’s most dependable performer, and another top-10 finish demonstrates the value of having an experienced senior leading the lineup. Her seven birdies and ability to avoid major mistakes were especially encouraging, considering the difficult conditions during the opening round. Towson needs more players to demonstrate that same level of consistency if it wants to turn respectable team finishes into podium finishes.
The development of freshmen London Rinaldi and Tatyana Smith also deserves attention because both demonstrated positive signs during the tournament. Rinaldi’s par-three performance and Smith’s strong finish to her final round suggest they have the ability to contribute as they gain more collegiate experience. However, the Tigers must find ways to maintain their position throughout an entire tournament rather than losing ground during the closing round. With one fall event remaining, Towson should focus on reducing costly mistakes and building the depth necessary to compete against stronger programs.
The Lehigh Invitational will be an important opportunity to finish the fall season on a positive note. Towson has already demonstrated that it can compete for top-five finishes, but taking the next step will require more complete performances from its entire lineup. Oristian has provided an excellent example of the consistency and determination necessary to succeed at this level. If the Tigers can build around that leadership while continuing to develop their younger players, they should enter the spring portion of their schedule with legitimate reasons for optimism.
Sources: Towson Athletics — Final tournament recap; Towson Athletics — Opening-round recap; Navy Athletics — Final tournament results; Stetson Athletics — Championship recap; Howard Athletics — Tournament results.
