Frisco, Texas----The accolades continue to pour in for the nation's top-ranked Wingate University women's golf program, as four Bulldogs earned recognition on the 2026 Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-America teams.
 
Sophomore Amely Bochaton headlined the honors, earning WGCA first team All-America recognition while also being named the WGCA National Player of the Year. Joining Bochaton on the first team was fellow sophomore Olivia Meinecke, while junior Jackie Gonzalez Howard and senior Lauren Sutcliffe collected WGCA honorable mention All-America laurels.
 
The four selections cap a remarkable season for the Bulldogs, who captured their second consecutive South Atlantic Conference championship, won the NCAA Division II South/Southeast Regional title and advanced to the NCAA Division II National Championship medal match play semifinals. Wingate finished the year ranked No. 1 nationally for much of the season and produced one of the most successful campaigns in program history.
 
Bochaton earns National Player of the Year honors
 
Bochaton cemented her place among the greatest players in NCAA Division II women's golf history during only her second season with the Bulldogs.
 
The Evian-les-Bains, France native spent the entire season ranked No. 1 nationally and delivered one of the most dominant campaigns in NCAA Division II history. She finished the year with a 69.1 adjusted scoring average, seven victories, 12 top-three finishes and a national-best 91.18 Clippd ranking points average across 41 rounds.
 
Bochaton closed her season in historic fashion at the NCAA Division II national championship, winning the individual national title by 13 strokes. She led the championship field in par-three, par-four and par-five scoring while recording the most birdies and the fewest bogeys throughout the tournament.
 
Her first team All-America honor marks the second consecutive season she has earned the distinction, while the WGCA National Player of the Year award recognizes her as the top golfer in all of NCAA Division II.
 
Meinecke adds another first team honor
 
Meinecke continued her ascent among the nation's elite players, earning WGCA first team All-America recognition after another outstanding campaign. Her All-America selection further strengthens Wingate's reputation as one of the premier women's golf programs in the country.
 
The Bielefeld, Germany native spent the season ranked among the top players nationally and played a key role in Wingate's championship success. Meinecke consistently delivered low scores throughout the year and was instrumental in the Bulldogs' regional championship run and national semifinal appearance.
 
Gonzalez Howard earns honorable mention recognition
 
Gonzalez Howard received WGCA honorable mention All-America honors following another outstanding season in the Navy Blue and Vegas Gold. Her recognition marks another milestone in a decorated Wingate career.
 
The Durango, Mexico native provided veteran leadership throughout the year while producing numerous key rounds during Wingate's championship run. Gonzalez Howard recorded multiple top finishes during the season and played an important role in helping the Bulldogs secure tournament victories against some of the strongest fields in Division II.
 
Sutcliffe closes career as honorable mention All-American
 
Sutcliffe earned WGCA honorable Mention All-America honors to cap one of the most successful careers in program history. The Sioux Falls, South Dakota native helped transform Wingate women's golf into a national contender during her four-year career. As a senior, Sutcliffe played a major role in the Bulldogs' SAC championship, regional title and national semifinal appearance.
 
Known for her consistency and leadership, Sutcliffe's All-America selection serves as a fitting conclusion to a career that included multiple conference championships, NCAA postseason appearances and numerous team victories.
 
A historic year for Wingate women's golf
 
The four All-America selections underscore the depth and talent that defined Wingate's historic 2025-26 campaign. With two first team All-Americans, two honorable mention selections, the WGCA National Player of the Year and a trip to the NCAA national championship semifinals, the Bulldogs once again established themselves among the elite programs in NCAA Division II women's golf.
 
Under the leadership of head coach JD Lamm, Wingate continues to set new standards for excellence, both within the South Atlantic Conference and on the national stage. The Bulldogs' four All-America honorees represent the most recent chapter in a season that will be remembered as one of the finest in program history.
 
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 30 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award the past 18 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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(Editor's note: Wingate junior men's golf student-athlete Matthew Wordon contributed this article. He is an international business major from Bath, England.)