Wingate, N.C.----Senior women's golf student-athlete Lauren Sutcliffe (Nisswa, Minn.) believes Wingate University "has prepared me and given me the confidence to pursue whatever I may choose in the future." Sutcliffe and her teammates had a historic season in 2025…and the four-year letter winner looks to add another chapter to this story in 2026.
 
Last year, Sutcliffe and her teammates advanced to the NCAA Division II national quarterfinals for the first time in school history. Sutcliffe played in 31 rounds, posting a career-best 75.7 average. She finished tied for eighth place in the Fall Kickoff. In Wingate's next event, Sutcliffe tied for 10th place in Lee's City with Spirit Fall Classic. The 'Dogs won seven tournaments in 2024-25, including the program's fifth South Atlantic Conference championship.
 
Sutcliffe is a high achiever in the classroom as well. The marketing major with a mathematics minor consistently finds A's and B's on her grade report. The Wingate University athletic communications office caught up with Sutcliffe to get her first-person thoughts on academics, athletics and the future (an edited transcript follows).
 
"Small class sizes…help build relationships with professors…"
 
"Wingate University has exceeded my academic expectations in many ways. The small class sizes make it easy to build meaningful relationships with professors, who are approachable and genuinely invested in student success. There is a strong sense of community on campus that has been able to make my Wingate experience…so enjoyable."
 
"I especially want to give a shout-out to all of my professors for their flexibility and understanding while I have missed several class days due to golf tournaments. Their willingness to work with me and support my goals both in the classroom and on the course has made my academic experience extremely positive."
 
"Wingate provides students with the tools, resources and support needed to succeed, ensuring that every student is well prepared for their future both professionally and personally."
 
Wingate Athletics "has helped me grow as an athlete, a teammate and a leader…"
 
"Being a part of athletics at Wingate University has exceeded my expectations in every way. Competing as a member of the Wingate women's golf team has given me the opportunity to not only grow as an athlete, but also as a teammate and a leader. I am so thankful for my amazing teammates who have pushed me every day and who have created such a positive team culture."
 
"I am also incredibly grateful for my coach, JD Lamm, for his constant support and belief in me. He has been a major part of my growth as a golfer and as a person. During the recruiting process, he had goals of building a program that could compete at nationals and perform at the highest level, in which we completed this goal last spring."
 
"We would not be the program we are today without JD Lamm. My teammates, coaches and the overall athletic environment at Wingate University have truly been a blessing throughout my four years, positively shaping my experience both on and off the course."
 
"Wingate has prepared me and given me confidence…"
 
"My future plans include going home to Nisswa, Minnesota for the next year and working as an assistant golf professional at the Madden's On Gull Lake Resort golf courses. When the resort offered me a full-time position after graduation, I could not resist the opportunity to go back home and work a job that I love. This opportunity allows me to continue my love for golf while helping others develop their own passion for the game."
 
"Ultimately, in the next 10 years I see myself in a leadership position at a major golf resort where I can continue to share my passion, mentor others and positively impact the next generation of golfers. While I don't know exactly what my future may look like, Wingate has prepared me and given me the confidence to pursue whatever I may choose." 
 
Wingate University
 
Wingate University is a lab of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina and offers 60 degree pathways, including 37 undergraduate majors, 10 pre-professional tracks and five dual-degree programs. Graduate students choose from seven master's and five doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a leader in healthcare education where nearly one in five undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 26 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award the past 16 times it has been awarded. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.
 
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