Maryland Women’s Golf Finishes Fifth at Illini Invitational, Kanpai Ties for Third
By Brian Hradsky Maryland Sports Blog | October 13, 2026
MEDINAH, Ill. — The Maryland Terrapins women’s golf team delivered another strong performance Tuesday, finishing fifth among 15 teams at the Illini Women’s Invitational at Medinah Country Club in Illinois. Maryland completed the 54-hole tournament at 12-under-par 852, posting rounds of 284, 283 and 285. Senior Nicha Kanpai led the Terrapins with an impressive individual performance, tying for third place at 11-under-par 205. The result gave Maryland another top-five team finish during its fall campaign.
Kanpai continued her outstanding start to the season with rounds of 67, 71 and 67, matching her season-low tournament score. She recorded 13 birdies and an eagle while committing just four bogeys throughout the three rounds. Her consistency helped her secure a second top-five individual finish this fall, and she has now placed among the top 11 in all three tournaments Maryland has played. Kanpai’s performance also demonstrated her ability to compete with some of the strongest golfers in the Big Ten and nationally.
Maryland’s Young Golfers Deliver Strong Results
Freshman Carolina Perez-Tasso contributed an impressive tournament of her own, tying for 17th place at 3-under-par 213. Perez-Tasso opened with consecutive rounds of 72 before finishing with a 3-under 69 on Tuesday. She collected 10 birdies and an eagle during the tournament, helping Maryland maintain its position among the leaders. Her final-round performance was particularly encouraging as the Terrapins competed against several established national programs.
Freshman Noa Zocco also finished under par, tying for 26th with a three-round total of 215. Zocco improved throughout the tournament, shooting 74 in the opening round before recording a 71 and closing with a 70. Sophomore Noa Terroba Toro tied for 34th at 1-over-par 217, producing rounds of 72, 73 and 72. Junior Chananyu Chowiwattana finished at 2-over-par 218, highlighted by an excellent second-round 68, while junior Anna Pillard recorded a 221.
Terrapins Compete Against Strong Field
Maryland faced a competitive field that included several nationally recognized programs, with Indiana claiming the championship at 24-under-par 840. Ole Miss finished second at 23-under 841, while Missouri secured third place at 17-under 847. Host Illinois narrowly edged Maryland for fourth place, finishing at 13-under 851, just one stroke ahead of the Terrapins. Maryland finished seven strokes ahead of sixth-place UCF, highlighting the team’s ability to remain competitive throughout the event.
The Terrapins entered Tuesday’s final round in fifth place after posting a combined 9-under 567 through the opening 36 holes. Maryland maintained that position with a final-round 285, improving its overall score to 12-under par. The team demonstrated consistency across all three rounds, with just two strokes separating its highest and lowest daily scores. That steadiness proved important against a field featuring multiple programs that finished last season among the nation’s top 50.
Maryland Looks Ahead to UNC Asheville Invitational
Maryland will return to competition Oct. 26-27 at the UNC Asheville Invitational. The tournament provides another opportunity for head coach Kelly Hovland’s team to build on its encouraging fall performances. Kanpai’s individual success and the contributions from Maryland’s younger golfers have given the Terrapins a promising foundation. Another strong showing would help Maryland carry momentum toward the remainder of its collegiate golf schedule.
MSB Take
Maryland’s fifth-place finish at Medinah represents an encouraging result for a program looking to establish itself among the stronger teams in the Big Ten. Kanpai has emerged as a reliable leader, and her third-place finish demonstrates that she can contend against elite collegiate competition. The performances of Perez-Tasso and Zocco are equally important because both freshmen are already contributing meaningful scores. If Maryland continues developing that combination of veteran leadership and young talent, the Terrapins could become a more consistent contender throughout the season.
The most encouraging aspect of this tournament was Maryland’s consistency, particularly with three golfers finishing under par individually. The Terrapins were only one stroke behind Illinois and finished ahead of several respected programs, including UCF, Kent State and TCU. Maryland still has work to do to challenge teams such as Indiana and Ole Miss, but the gap does not appear insurmountable. The next challenge will be turning these promising performances into additional top-five finishes and eventually a tournament championship.
Sources: Maryland Athletics · Texas Tech final leaderboard · Illinois tournament information
