Lansing girls golf repeats as IAC, Section IV champions

Last year was a historic one for the Lansing girls golf team. Not only did they win yet another IAC title, the Bobcats won their first-ever Section IV championship. This spring, they did it all over again.

Lansing captured the IAC title for the fifth straight season and followed that up with a second consecutive victory at sectionals. It’s no surprise to see the same level of success given that they returned all but one golfer from last year’s team.

“It was great to have the same core group back,” said head coach Kelly Baughan. “They know the expectation, they know the routine, and the younger ones are definitely looking up to the older ones that are setting good examples.”

The IAC championship took place at Hillendale Golf Course, and Lansing had to battle through cold and wet conditions to five-peat. Despite the weather, the Bobcats came away with another dominant victory, beating the runner-up Marathon by 48 strokes.

“They were troopers,” Baughan said. “They all had their umbrellas, and they had a good attitude. I said, ‘Everybody’s got to play the same conditions.’ I didn’t hear one complaint like ‘Oh, we have to play in the rain.’ They were like, ‘Okay, we got this.’ It was outstanding.”

The following week, Lansing competed at sectionals at Soaring Eagles Golf Course in Horseheads, the same course where they won it all last year. After beating Corning by just three strokes in 2024, the Bobcats had a much more comfortable victory by 25 strokes. It goes to show how much they’ve improved their craft to become the undisputed dominant force in the section.

“They’re understanding the short game a little bit better,” Baughan said. “We spend a lot of time leading into IACs and sectionals working on the short game—the chipping, the putting, the pitching. Their swings are also improving. They’re understanding when they hit a shot wrong, if it goes one way, they have an idea of what their body’s doing to make it go that direction. They can kind of fix it and start thinking about their swing themselves.”

What stands out about this year’s team is their depth. The Bobcats are the only team in Section IV to have all six golfers in their lineup have a stroke average of under 55. That’s what really set them apart from the rest even more so compared to last year.

In terms of their top golfer, Hailey Baughan once again paces the Bobcats. The junior was the match medalist at IACs for the third year running after shooting a 74 (two over par) and placed third at sectionals with a score of 82. That sealed her place at states for a fourth straight time, which goes to show how consistent her game has been over the years.

“She’s just a solid player all the way around,” Baughan said. “I think she’s taking a little bit more time on the greens to know where the slope is. Her pace is getting a little bit better, so she’s not leaving herself with those putts that are three or four feet to try and make for par. [She’s] not putting as much pressure on herself there.”

Miley Palmer has also continued to impress. The sophomore also qualified for states after finishing in the top nine at sectionals. She also had a strong outing at IACs with a top-six finish.

“I think that she’s starting to hit the ball more consistently,” Baughan said. “She’s super competitive, got a lot of drive, wants to do well, and that serves her well.”

Alana Knapp-Ward was the lone golfer elevated into the starting lineup this year. In just her second season on the team, the senior was able to make a great impact. One thing Baughan is certain about: those won’t be the only two years that she takes part in the sport.

“She is just making so much gain every practice,” Baughan said. “She wants it badly. I’m glad that she was able to join us for two years. It’s a lifelong sport, and I think she’ll be one of those players that’s going to enjoy the game for the rest of her life.”

Because the Bobcats won sectionals, they’re allowed to take four golfers to states. With Baughan and Palmer already qualified, the next two lowest averages on the Bobcats got to compete for the team title: junior Alessandra Monacelli and sophomore Farren Snyder.

Heading into next year, the Bobcats will be graduating three seniors, one of which was part of their regular lineup. With so many returning golfers to look forward to once more, 2026 is set to be another banner year for the Bobcats.

“I obviously wouldn’t do it if I didn’t enjoy it,” Baughan said. “The group of girls that I have are outstanding.”