The team’s lone senior, Hanako Kawasaki (Questrom’22, SHA’22) is a past Patriot League Golfer of the Year and the conference’s reigning Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Varsity Sports

BU Women’s Golf Chasing Another Patriot League Title

Terriers will compete at conference championship in Maryland this weekend

Head coach Bruce Chalas isn’t shy about the success of his BU women’s golf team this season.

“We’ve had a fantastic season,” he says. “It might be the best we’ve ever had in program history.”

The team boasts six top-five finishes in nine tournaments, claiming first place twice—but the trophy cabinet is missing one piece of hardware. The final event on the schedule is the biggest one: the 2022 Patriot League Championship, hosted this weekend by the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

“Our goal is to go down to Navy and bring back the trophy to BU,” Chalas says. “That will get us to the NCAA regionals. We’ve been there before, and we’re excited to be able to do that this year.”

The Terriers last reached the national stage after claiming their most recent conference title in 2019. After the the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 championship, BU came two shots away from defending their title in 2021. Still, the second-place result continued a run of finishing as the league champion or runner-up in six of the last seven seasons since joining the Patriot League in 2014.

That consistent level of dominance, Chalas says, has helped the program grow.

“Interest in BU golf is very strong,” he says. “This year is clearly the most interest that we’ve had since I’ve been coaching the program, and it’s all a testament to the girls and how they carry themselves and how they carry the program. Our future looks bright, and it’s exciting to coach.”

And if there weren’t already enough reason for confidence, the team turned in another signature performance with a victory in the season’s penultimate event, the Hoya Invitational on April 9 and 10. Chalas says the team is in a great position going into the Patriot League Championship.

“It’s always good to have a positive attitude and work ethic, and it gives you a little bit of satisfaction for all the hard work that the girls have put in this year,” he says.

Christy Chen (Questrom’25) won the individual gold medal—her first—at the Hoya Invitational, joining Flair Kuan (Questrom’24) and Hanako Kawasaki (Questrom’22, SHA’22) as Terriers who have earned at least three top-five finishes this season. Chalas was impressed with the entire team at the tournament, especially considering the tough weather.

“It was great to see everybody contribute,” he says. “In cold and windy conditions, the girls played fantastic. That’s a good sign to lead into the Patriot League championship.”

The Terriers have battled the elements all season, the coach says. Because of chilly temperatures and precipitation, the team has been able to practice on an actual golf course only once all spring.

“The indoor facility we have has really become pivotal,” he says. “The girls have taken it upon themselves to practice, and all the girls are practicing more than is being asked. They’re going down there on their own and working hard. And you make the best of what you have.”

Even in a challenging climate, the team’s results haven’t suffered. As an example, Chalas points to their second-place finish at the Babs Steffens Invite in Daytona Beach, Fla., on March 27 and 28.

“We finished second in a very, very good field playing against a lot of Southern teams. They get the chance to play outdoors on golf courses every day, and we don’t,” he says. “We utilize what we have available to us, and we’re grateful for our booster alumni support to help make that possible.”

The bar is high, but Chalas is optimistic that this team can rise to the occasion and bring home the fifth championship in program history. A win would mean another shot in the national tournament.

“We have a lot of opportunities,” he says. “We’ve got some good players, and we’ve got some nice goals in front of us.”

Fans can follow along with the tournament through PatriotLeague.org and on Twitter via @BUGameDay and @TerrierGolf. Learn more about the Terriers online at GoTerriers.com.