Becerra-Diaz Caps Off Career With Individual National Title
BOONE, Iowa – The inaugural Division II Women's Golf National Championship featured a strong showing from the ICCAC, with four teams competing and three placing in the top 10.
The standout performance of the tournament came from Ivanna Becerra-Diaz of Iowa Central, who claimed the individual national title after a dramatic final day. Becerra-Diaz opened the tournament with steady rounds of +2 and +1, highlighted by three birdies on day two. However, as wind conditions worsened on days three and four, she struggled to maintain her lead. A +12 in round three narrowed the gap between her and the competition, and on the final day, she shot +4, finishing tied at +21 with Kamryn Johnston of Mott (Mich.). The championship was decided on a playoff hole, where Becerra-Diaz sealed the victory by winning the first playoff. It was a fitting conclusion to an exceptional two-year career with the Tritons, capped by a national title.
Iowa Central placed third overall as a team with a total score of +193. In addition to Becerra-Diaz's first-place finish, Olivia Eckert secured ninth place individually with a +34, climbing seven spots on the final day to help propel the team into the top three. Rounding out the scoring for Iowa Central were Jenna Kramer and Brooklynn Backoff, who finished 40th and 50th respectively. Both athletes played pivotal roles throughout the season and the national tournament.
NIACC claimed sixth place in the team standings, led by freshman Meghan DeLong, who tied for 16th. DeLong posted consistent rounds of +7, +10, and +7 over the first three days, but a challenging +17 on the windy final day dropped her five spots, finishing at +41 overall. Paige Danger followed in 23rd at +49, while Ashlyn Berven and Kenedee Frayne placed 50th and 55th, respectively.
DMACC, fresh off a North Plains District title, finished seventh overall and had one golfer inside the top 20. Halle Hagberg tied for 16th with steady play and a +41 total, which included two birdies. Behind her, Ann Van Hemert climbed two spots on the final day to finish 27th at +51. Haley Loonan and Lilly Houtakker closed out the team's scoring in 44th and 59th place, respectively.
Iowa Lakes was the fourth ICCAC team to compete and finished 11th. Abby Brooks led the Lakers with a +52, placing 29th overall. She was supported by Karli Fife, Leah Becker, and Hayden Fenimore, who contributed to the team total.
Finally, Libby Larkin from Hawkeye competed as an individual and delivered a solid showing, finishing in the top half of the leaderboard in 34th place at +57.
First Team All-American
1. Ivanna Becerra-Diaz
Second Team All-America
T9. Olivia Eckert, Iowa Central
Honorable Mention All-American
T16. Halle Hagberg, DMACC
T16. Meghan DeLong, NIACC