All-Decade Team: Women's Golf

Williamsburg, KY – Having one of the most consistent programs, the UC Women’s Golf team is a namesake in both the Mid-South Conference and the NAIA.  The Patriots have captured 12 Mid-South Conference regular-season titles, 10 MSC Tournament Championships, and six top-ten finishes at the NAIA National Championship.  Over the past decade, Cumberlands has been dominant, recording four top-five finishes at nationals, won 10 straight Mid-South Conference regular-season titles and eight consecutive MSC Tournament crowns.  In addition to the team’s success, UC has had one NAIA Individual national champion, 16 NAIA All-Americans, 7 NAIA All-Tournament selections, 4 MSC Golfers of the Year, 7 MSC Tournament Medalist, and four MSC Freshman of the Year. The Patriots' success has come in part of having a slew of talented golfers that have garnered countless honors at both the conference and national level. With all of these accomplishments, the one golfer that represents the women’s golf program on UC’S All-Decade Team is Kaitlyn Riley.

Riley is the most decorated golfer in program history as she is Cumberlands lone national champion which she accomplished at the 2016 NAIA National Championships.  Riley holds the program records with 14 tournament wins, six tournament wins in a season (2017-18), the lowest average for a season at 75.63 (2017-18), and averaged 76.28 per round over her career. Additionally, Riley was a three-time NAIA All-American, four-time NAIA All-Tournament team selection, four-time MSC First Team All-Conference selection, and was the MSC Player of the Year during the 2017-18 season.  Kaitlyn has also carded four of UC’s six lowest rounds in program history, including shooting a program-best 68 on four occasions. 

Riley made an impact on the Patriots from the moment she stepped foot in Williamsburg, KY helping Cumberlands to four tournament wins on the season including winning the MSC Fall Invite and the MSC Tournament.  At the MSC Fall Championship, the Lawrenceburg, KY native carded a 77 in the final round to move up in the rankings and finished tied for sixth. Riley continued her strong play at the MSC Championships she carded a second-round one-over-par, 73, to help propel her to the top of the leaderboard as she finished runner-up with a 54-hole total of 229. For her efforts on the season, Riley was named the MSC Freshman of the Year and was an MSC First Team All-Conference selection.  Kaitlyn capped off her freshman campaign with a tenth-place finish at the NAIA National Championships.  Riley carded a 75 (+3) in the second, third, and final round to shoot a 304 over the 72 hole course and earn a spot on the All-Tournament Team, while the Patriots notched consecutive top-five team finishes.  

Riley came into her sophomore year on a mission helping UC to seven tournament wins while earning medalist honors four times, which was a program record.  The sophomore opened the season by carding a 69, which was tied for second lowest round in program history, at the Bill Sergent Invite to help Riley record Medalist honors for the first time in her career.  She closed out the fall season with another win as she fired a 75 (+3) in the lone round at the MSC Fall Round Up to finish tied with teammate Rachel Pingleton for the win.  Kaitlyn carried that momentum into the spring season as she finished runner-up finishes at Callaway Gardens Invite and The Tennessee Wesleyan Invite before claiming Medalist honors at the TPC Deere Run Women’s Invite as she carded a 143 (-1) for the tournament.  The sophomore strong spring with top-five finishes at both the MSC Spring Invite and MSC Tournament to aide in Cumberlands fourth straight MSC tournament title.  

Looking to build on her historic sophomore season, Riley didn’t disappoint as she remained atop the leaderboard at every tournament posting four wins and recording nine top-five finishes in 11 tournaments.  The junior began the year earning medalist honors at the Bill Sergent Invitational and utilizing a final round 68 (-4) to finish tied for first at the MSC Fall Invite. Riley earned All-Tournament honors en route to helping the Patriots claim tournament wins at the Reinhardt Invitational and Thomas Invite. The Lawrenceburg, KY native carded a two-round 136 (+3) to notched Medalist honors at the MSC Spring Invite. Riley followed that up by recording Medalist honors at the Mid-South Conference Tournament for the first time in her career, shooting a 228 (+12), and tallying MSC First Team All-Conference honors for the third straight season.  Kaitlyn capped off the season by placing third at the NAIA National Championships with a 54-hole score of 224 (+8) to earn NAIA All-Tournament honors and be named an NAIA Third Team All-American.

While Riley’s resume produced a record-setting career, the senior saved her greatest season for last during the 2017-18 campaign. Kaitlyn posted season program records for tournament wins with six, lowest average (75.63), and twice tied the program record for the lowest round (68). Riley posted eight top-five finishes on the season, including three straight to open the season. Riley earned back-to-back Medalist honors at the MSC Fall Invite and the Thomas Invite to help the Patriots win four out their five fall tournaments. Riley’s strong play carried into the spring where she won a career-best four straight tournaments.  After winning the UNOH Women’s Invite and the Patriot Spring Invite, Kaitlyn carded a 150 (+6) to win the MSC Spring Tournament.  At the MSC Tournament, Riley carded a final round 73 (+1) to shoot 225 (+9) to successfully defend her MSC Tournament title. For her efforts, Riley was named the MSC Golfer of the Year and earned MSC First-Team All-Conference honors.  Kaitlyn capped off her career at the NAIA Championships, where she shot a 227 (+11) to finish third and earn All-Tournament honors for the fourth straight year, making her the only golfer in the Mid-South Conference to accomplish that feat.

Riley went on to be named the 2018 Mid-South Conference Female Student-Athlete of the Year. Kaitlyn graduated from UC in May 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in Exercise Sport Science. Riley has returned to Lawrenceburg, KY, and just completed her first-year teaching Health and Physical Education at Anderson County High School.  She is looking to return to golf as a coach in the near future.

The UC All-Decade Team was determined based on stats, awards & honors received, and significance to the program in addition to input for members of the UC Athletic Department. It will include one representative from every sport and be comprised of 29 student-athletes. The all-decade team looked at everything from the 2010-2011 season through the 2019-2020 season.