The women’s golf team will host its second West Texas Classic event on March 2-3 at Abilene Country Club North. 

The tournament will feature a variety of teams from around the country, including the University of Texas El Paso, Drake University, Bowling Green State University and athletes competing individually from Texas Tech University. The University of Toledo will also be competing, led by Head Coach Ali Green, former Wildcat women’s golf assistant coach. 

“It’s cool she’ll be back here in Abilene,” Head Coach Rob Bennett said. “She obviously knows the course really well.”

The opportunity to host schools like BGSU and TTU is one that not only excites Bennett but is one that repays those schools for allowing the Wildcats to compete in their tournaments when the program was in its first season. 

“Schools like Bowling Green, who were so gracious to us in our first two years as a program, allowed us to play in their event they hosted in Arizona.. I told them you have a standing invite every year you want to come,” Bennett said. “Texas Tech is one of those. Their team won’t be here, but when their coach asked to bring some individuals, it was a no-brainer.” 

The Wildcats won the inaugural WTC in the spring of 2025 after just two rounds due to wind and poor weather conditions. Ryann Honea, senior from San Angelo, finished in first place at 2-under par 138 over her two rounds. Honea, now playing in her final home event, said she and the team are approaching the tournament with confidence, knowing they are fully capable of winning. 

“We’ve been talking a lot lately about truly believing and telling yourself, ‘you’re the best player here. We’re the best team here.’ when you walk onto the range before an event,” Honea said. “I do think with that mindset and the confidence and skill we do have, we could pick any five this week, and it’d be the same outcome.” 

The team started its spring schedule nearly a month ago at the University of Central Florida Challenge, finishing in 12th place while Kate Pickrell, junior from Austin, led the ‘Cats with a 41st place finish. 

“I think we’re starting to tighten up on the things that we’ve needed to work on, and it’s looking better and better,” Bennett said. “This is the first bit of a stretch here, all the way through the Western Athletic Conference Championship. We expect to do well, and we expect to win. I think that would be a really good momentum boost for us.” 

Both Honea and Bennett said they’re confident in the team’s ability to execute and play with an advantage on their home course. With the weather being summer-like in Abilene recently, it’s given the Wildcats numerous opportunities to not only practice outside, but also get out and play the tournament course. 

“While other teams are trying to decide what to do, our girls already know,” Bennett said. “It’s second nature. If the wind is blowing on a certain hole, from a certain direction, they know how that’s going to affect the golf ball because we play out there so often. I think when you don’t have to think, you can execute easier.” 

Additionally, Bennett said that from year one of the WTC to year two, they’ve chosen to set the course up for more challenging conditions. 

“We think that the schedule we play is really good and we’re used to playing golf courses that are difficult and play long,” Bennett said. “That’s something I think we handle really well, and a lot of these teams coming in may not see that as much. We’d like to give them a bit of a taste of a higher-level event because I think deep down teams want that.” 

Bennett also said that while they’ll set the course up with difficult tee boxes and pin placements, the course conditions will be fair while being longer than last year.  

“We’ll set it up tough, fair, but tough,” he said.

While knowing the course and weather conditions provides the ‘Cats with a home-course advantage, the ability to stick to their usual routines is something that Honea said is different but could provide them with an additional advantage.

“We’re really looking forward to being here,” Honea said. “Sleeping in our own bed, just things like that that we don’t ever get to do… It is a little different because it’s like the only time out of the whole season. You have to find that rhythm. You’ve got to make sure you’re going to bed early because you don’t have teammates or a roommate to say ‘hey let’s go to sleep.’ That is difficult, finding the discipline to do that.” 

The West Texas Classic will feature 36 holes on day one, beginning with a shotgun start at 8:15 a.m. The second and final day will be an 18-hole day and will decide the winner of the second tournament hosted by the Wildcats. 

“For it to only be the second year of hosting, like our program is still really young, there is a lot of excitement,” Honea said. “Being able to play here and have ACU fans come out and support, but also just to get back to competition.”