The No. 1-ranked Keiser women's golf team travels to DeBary, Florida, for the Babs Steffens Invitational February 23-24. The three-round, two-day event hosted by Stetson University will be held at the DeBary Golf Club (Par 71, 5,928 yards) and will feature a 16-team field which includes 12 NCAA Division I programs.
The Seahawks opened the Spring, capturing the team championship at the 2026 Coastal Georgia Winter Invitational, finishing first in a 15-team field at Jekyll Island Golf Club. The Seahawks posted rounds of 298 (+10) and 294 (+6) to claim the title with a two-round total of 592 (+16).
Keiser held off No. 6 SCAD Savannah, which finished second at 600 (+24), while Eastern Florida State placed third at 611 (+35). The Seahawks' balanced lineup proved decisive, as multiple players finished near the top of the individual leaderboard.
Luz Maria Ardila and Herry Ji paced Keiser with matching third-place finishes, each carding a two-round total of 147 (+3). Ardila followed an opening-round 75 (+3) with a strong even-par 72 in the final round, while Ji posted rounds of 73 (+1) and 74 (+2).
Sophia Sindersberger added another solid showing for the Seahawks, tying for fifth overall at 148 (+4) after shooting 76 (+4) and 72 (E). Hannah Guerin finished tied for 11th at 152 (+8) with consistent rounds of 76 (+4) in both rounds, and Linda Stamm rounded out the team scoring with a tie for 17th at 153 (+9).
In the 87-player field, Keiser placed four golfers inside the top 11 and five within the top 17.
When: Feb. 23-24, 2026
Course: DeBary Golf Club (Par 71, 5,928 yards)
Where: DeBary, Fla.
Format: 36 holes Monday, 18 holes Tuesday
Field: No. 1 Keiser, Mount Mercy, UNC Asheville (NCAA DI), Appalachian State (NCAA DI), Southern Illinois (NCAA DI), Troy (NCAA DI), Georgia State (NCAA DI) West Georgia (NCAA DI), North Alabama (NCAA DI), Drake, (NCAA DI) Southern Utah (NCAA DI), Bryant (NCAA DI), Le Moyne (NCAA DI), Stetson, (NCAA DI), Seminole State (JC), Palm Beach State (JC)
1. Herry Ji - Fr. / London, England
Ji has recorded three straight top-5 finishes. She shot a 3-over, 147, to place tied for third at the Coastal Georgia Winter Invite (Feb. 10). With an adjusted season scoring average of 73.1, she is currently ranked No. 15 in the nation (clippd)
2. Luz Maria Ardila - Sr. / Bogota, Colombia
Coming off the best finish of her career, Ardila placed tied for third at the Coastal Georgia Winter Invite (Feb. 10). It was the third top-5 finish of her Keiser career. She comes into the week with an adjusting scoring average of 74.0 and is ranked No. 26 in the nation (clippd)
3. Sophia Sindersberger - So. / Zurich, Switzerland
Sindersberger comes into Monday's play with two top-5 finishes. She placed tied for fifth at the Coastal Georgia Winter Invite (Feb. 10) with a 4-over, 148. Through five events this season. Sindersberger has posted an adjusted scoring average of 73.1. She currently ranks No. 10 in the nation (clippd)
4. Hannah Guerin - Fr. / Dublin, Ireland
Guerin made her Keiser debut at the Coastal Georgia Winter Invite (Feb. 10), shooting an 8-over, 152, to place tied for 11
th.
5. Aoli Liu - So. / Quanzhou, China
Liu has appeared in five events for the Seahawks this season, finishing in the top 10 twice. She comes into the week with an adjusted scoring average of 74.7 and is ranked No. 33, nationally (clippd)
- The Seahawks enter the week ranked No. 1 in the final fall NAIA Coaches' Top 25 poll (Oct. 31)
- The Seahawks are No. 1 in the latest NAIA Mizuno WGCA Coaches' Poll (Nov. 14)
- Keiser opened the Spring with another tournament championship, winning the Coastal Georgia Winter Invitational (Feb. 10)
- It marked the Seahawks fourth victory of the season
- Three golfers finished in the top 5 as Herry Ji and Luz Maria Ardila placed tied for third followed by Sophia Sindersberger, who finished tied for fifth
- The Seahawks are currently 21-0-0 versus teams ranked in the NAIA Coache's Top 25 poll
- The Seahawks are also 34-0-0 versus NAIA opponents this season
- This year's Babs Steffens Invitational field will consist of golfers from 16 different teams
- Of the 16 teams, 12 are NCAA Division I programs
- Keiser and Mount Mercy are the only two NAIA squads in the this year's field
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