Trojans Head to Tallahassee Regional for NCAA Championship

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Little Rock is heading back to the NCAA stage - and found out together.

The Trojans gathered with a large group of supporters Wednesday afternoon at the Ray Tucker Legends Club inside the Jack Stephens Center, hosting a watch party for the Golf Channel's NCAA Regional Selection Show. When Little Rock's name appeared in the Tallahassee Regional, the room erupted as the Trojans officially punched their ticket to postseason play.

Little Rock will compete in a loaded 12-team field at the Tallahassee Regional, hosted by Florida State at Seminole Legacy Golf Club. The field includes, in seed order: Florida, Wake Forest, UCLA, Florida State, Kentucky, Clemson, Purdue, Little Rock, North Florida, ULM, Eastern Michigan and UTRGV. The tournament runs from May 11-13. 

The Trojans arrive with momentum, having won two of the last three OVC Championships, including this season's commanding performance that saw Little Rock dominate stroke play and carry that form into the postseason.

For head coach Jenna Birch, the destination came as a bit of a surprise.

"We've been following kind of what everyone's been predicting for the last two weeks, and Tallahassee was never mentioned," Birch said. "So to actually see our name for Tallahassee was a little bit surprising."

Still, Birch sees a strong fit for her team.

"Florida's a great state to play golf in," she said. "We played an event in Florida this year, and the grass is kind of similar to what we have here with the Bermuda, so it's not going to be that much of a difference. And the time zone change really isn't that drastic."

The regional presents a new challenge, but one Birch has been preparing her team for all season.

"As a coach, I made the decision that this would be the year we try to push this team," Birch said. "I was mentally and emotionally prepared to go through some ups and downs."
That approach paid off.

"I was very truthful and honest with the team," Birch said. "They knew we were going to go up against some of the best teams in the country, and I knew they were going to struggle at times. It was about preparing them for that so they didn't get too down."

Little Rock balanced that early-season adversity with opportunities to build confidence, ultimately peaking at the right time.

"We kind of analyzed it and found some opportunities to get that confidence ready to go," Birch said. "So when we went to conference, they had that combination of being pushed all year and facing adversity."

Now, the focus shifts to advancing.

The top five teams at each regional will move on to the NCAA Championships, setting up a competitive three-day, 54-hole test against some of the nation's top programs.

"It didn't matter where we go, we're glad to be playing," junior Eleonore Aernouts said. "We are excited and will be ready to play—it's a great feeling."

"With golf, you're playing against the course, and anything can happen on any given day," Birch added.

Aernouts, who was the OVC Player of the Year, echoed the team's confidence heading into the national stage.

"We've proven what we can do this season," she said. "If we stay patient and play our game, we know we can compete with anyone in that field."

With confidence built through a challenging schedule and a championship mindset, the Trojans will look to carry their momentum into Tallahassee and earn a spot on the national stage.

Tallahassee Regional 

1. Florida
2. Wake Forest
3. UCLA
4. Florida State
5. Eastern Michigan
6. Kentucky
7. Purdue
8. Clemson
9. ULM
10. North Florida
11. Little Rock
12. UTRGV