The 2024-25 season was Katie Quinney's 18th season overseeing the Coastal Carolina women's golf program and she will enter the 2024-25 season with 1,376 wins for her CCU career.
Quinney led the Chants to the match play round of the Sun Belt tournament in 2025 after finishing second overall in stroke play. Coastal won the team championship at the Golfweek/Stifel Spring Challenge from the Caledonia Golf Course in Pawley's Island, S.C. for her 24th career victory.
Senior Sara Sarrion brought home All-Sun Belt second team honors after finishing the year with a 73.54 stroke average through 10 events.
Quinney led the Chants to a fifth-place finish at the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Championship and led CCU to a win at the Sea Best Invitational. It was her 23rd win during her career at CCU.
Graduate student Hannah Karg won two individual medalist honors by winning The Southern and the GolfweekAGT Intercollegiate. In all she has led players to 29 individual championship honors during her career. Karg also was named to the All-Sun Belt team and finished her season with a 72.48 scoring average, the second-best single-season scoring average in program history.
She saw sophomore Sara Sarrion finished the season winning the Golfweek/Any Given Tuesday Intercollegiate with a five-under 208 for her first collegiate career individual championship. Quinney also led Sara Sarrion to the co-champion finish at the Jennifer Duke Invitational with a seven-over 230. It was Sarrion's second individual championship finish.
During the The 2021-22 season Quinney led CCU to wins at the Buccaneer Classic and the Golfweek/Any Given Tuesday Intercollegiate.
Those wins were the 21st and 22nd wins of her career. The Chants also finished with six top-five finishes, three top-10 events and one top-20 finish in the other events, including the 2022 Sun Belt Women’s Golf Championship. Tiffany Arafi and Sophia Carlsen were named to the all-tournament team.
Quinney saw Arafi explode on to the national scene with her multiple wins on the season and saw here ranked as high as fourth in the nation. She set program records with her 15-under score at the Buccaneer Classic, which saw her set records with a round of 64 and her final score of 201. She finished the year with four top-five finishes and another three finishes among the top ten. She had five rounds in the 60’s and 12 rounds of par or better scoring.
Following the season, Arafi and freshman Sara Sarrion were named to the 2022 All-Sun Belt team
The 2020-21 season culminated with the Chants’ second Sun Belt Conference Championship since joining the conference for the 2016-17. She has also led the program to four Big South Conference Championships (2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015), seven NCAA Tournament appearances (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2021) and a team NCAA Championship appearance in 2011.
The 2020-21 season started in the fall without a full slate of players for the Chants who played as individuals in only three events.
With the team back up to a full size roster for the spring, the Chanticleers started on their journey towards their second Sun Belt Conference Championship. Along the way came a record-setting performance in the River Landing Classic which saw both team and individual records set.
The team set new standards in a low round (276, -12) and a low score for a 54-hole tournament (853, -11). Individually, Nicole Abelar set program records for a low 18 score (65, -7) and a low score for a 54-hole tournament (207, -11).
Sophia Carlsen showed great improvement as the season went along and culminated the year winning the 2021 Sun Belt Conference individual championship with a seven-under 137 for the two-day event after the third round was rained out.
Along with Carlsen on the All-Tournament team were teammates Nicole Abelar and Tiffany Ariafi.
With the championship came the program’s eighth regional appearance, the seventh under Quinney. The team finished 14
th at the NCAA Columbus Regional.
Following the season, Quinney picked up her second Sun Belt Coach of the Year honor which was her fifth coach of the year honor.
Named to the All-Sun Belt team were Nicole Abelar (First), Sophia Carlsen (Second), and Tiffany Arafi (Second). Abelar was also named the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year.
The 2019-20 season was marked by the early cancellation of the spring season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the season was cancelled CCU had four top-10 finishes and a second-place finish at the Palmetto Intercollegiate, which had 22 teams participating in the event.
The 2018-19 season saw the Chanticleers with four top-five finishes including a championship finish at the Kiawah Island Spring Classic. The team had another four top-10 finishes.
The Chants finished the season sixth at the Sun Belt Conference Championship, which saw freshman Jenjira Jinangkul finish the event fourth after carding a one-over 217. She was named to the All-Tournament Team.
The 2017-18 campaign saw Quinney lead the Chanticleers to their first Sun Belt Conference Championship title in only their second season in the conference.
Malene Krollboll Hansen was the individual winner as she shot a two-under 211. Teammate Sena Ersoy was second five strokes back of Hansen while Marie Lunacova was fifth and sister Frantiska Lunackova finished tied for eighth.
Krolboll Hansen, Ersoy and Marie Lunackova were all named to the Sun Belt Championship All-Tournament Team.
Following the season Krolboll Hansen picked up the Sun Belt Golfer of the Year award for the second consecutive season. Joining Hanson on the First Team All-Sun Belt list were Sena Ersoy and Frantiska Lunackova, while Marie Lunackova was named to the second team.
In 2016-17, CCU's first season as a member of the Sun Belt Conference, Quinney had Malene Krolboll Hansen named First Team All-Sun Belt and the Sun Belt Conference's Women's Golfer of the Year. Also, Marie Lunackova was named to the All-Sun Belt Second Team. Academically the program continues to thrive under Quinney as all of the members of the program finished with at least a 3.0 grade point average with three President's List members in the Fall of 2017 and another two named to the Dean's List.
Krolboll Hansen participated at the NCAA in Lubbock, Texas, as an individual finishing tied for 45th after shooting a 225 (76-77-72).
Additionally, under the direction of Quinney, Brittany Henderson competed in the 2012 NCAA Central Regional as an at-large individual and Lena Schaeffner qualified for the 2015 NCAA National Championship as an individual. Quinney has a vast amount of postseason experience, now having been a part of ten NCAA Regional teams, including appearances with the Chanticleers in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2015 along with her five seasons as a Florida State player and coach.
"I am very excited about what we have going at Coastal Carolina," Quinney commented. "The program has shown it can make it to the NCAAs and I look to make that a reality year-in and year-out as well as taking it to the next level. The Grand Strand is also a great area to recruit to, including the numerous top-level golf courses like our home course Grande Dunes, so I anticipate having quality recruits joining our ranks quickly."
The 2016 campaign featured a trio of top-three tournament finishes, including a win at the Edwin Watts/Kiawah Island Classic, which featured the largest field of any event in the nation at 40 teams. In addition to the top-three finishes, the Chants finished inside the top-10 in nine of 10 events. The team’s 296.37 scoring average proved to be the second-best single season stroke average in program history.
The 2016 season also featured a host of individual honors, including Lena Schaeffner, Malene Krolboll Hansen and Bailey Cocca being named All-Big South, while freshman Marie Lunackova was named the conference Freshman of the Year and to the all-freshman team. Moreover, Schaeffner was not only named to the conference’s all-academic team, but she became the third player in program history to be named the Big South Women’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Through the course of the regular season, Schaeffner and Hansen combined for three league Golfer of the Week honors and Lunackova was twice named the conference Freshman of the Week. Additional individual honors included Schaeffner, Hansen and Lunackova and Barbora Bakova earning WGCA All-American Scholar awards for their work in the classroom.
Individual performances were also of high quality during the 2016 season as Malene Krolboll Hansen turned in the program’s third-best single season scoring mark with a 73.68 stroke average. Additionally, each team member’s scoring average ranked in the top-25 on the CCU all-time list. In all, the Chants produced 30 total rounds of par or better, including nine in the 60s.
The 2015 season proved to be one of the most successful in Coastal history. Under Quinney's direction, the Chanticleers won four team events, including the Big South Championship and advanced to the NCAA Raleigh Regional. In addition to the four tournament wins, the Chants finished inside the top 10 in each team tournament. Moreover, the team's 295.37 single round scoring average set the program record by more than four full strokes. The team was also recognized by the WGCA for having the 23rd-best team GPA (3.648) in all of women's college golf.
2015 also produced a plethora of individual honors for the Chants as Lena Schaeffner was name the Big South Golfer of the Year and Malene Krolboll Hansen was honored as the league's Freshman of the Year. Also earning league honors was Emee Herbert. Throughout the regular season, the Chants claimed either the Big South's Golfer or Freshman of the Week honor following each tournament. Additional individual honors included Schaeffner, Herbert, Hansen and Frida Castillo earning WGCA All-American Scholar awards for their work in the classroom.
The 2015 campaign was also highlighted by the individual performances of Schaeffner, who set the Coastal program record with a 72.94 stroke average. Schaeffner also became the first Chant to win three tournament individual medalist honors, claiming the titles at Palmetto Intercollegiate, 3M Lady Jaguar Intercollegiate and Big South Championship. She also produced the program's individual finish at a NCAA Regional as she tied for second and became the first Chanticleer individual to advance to the NCAA National Championship.
Quinney's 2014 campaign culminated with a second-place finish at the Big South Conference Championship behind eventual NCAA National Championship qualifier Campbell. The Chanticleers finished the season with a 301.73 scoring average, ranking third-best in the CCU record book. The Chants also recorded top-10 finishes in seven of 10 team tournaments. Quinney guided Lena Schaeffner, Marissa Hinchman and Frida Castillo to All-Big South honors. In addition, Schaeffner, Castillo and Bailey Cocca earned Big South All-Championship Team plaudits via their top-five finishes at the conference tournament.
The 2013 team was one of Quinney's best in her tenure at Coastal Carolina. The squad won the program's sixth Big South title and advanced to the NCAA Central Regional, finishing eighth. The Chanticleers closed the season ranked 40th by Golfweek and 37th by Golfstat. The Chants claimed tournament titles at the Purdue Mount Vintage Invitational, M&F Bank Rebel Intercollegiate and Big South Championship. The season also featured top-five finishes in eight of 13 events and 11 top-10 finishes. The 2013 Chanticleers also set the CCU record with a 299.44 per round scoring average along with the Big South Championship 54-hole record with a 16-over 880.
Under Quinney's direction senior Brittany Henderson claimed the 2013 Big South Golfer and Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors. Henderson also won her second consecutive individual Big South Championship title. Joining Henderson as
Big South award winners were Jessica Alexander (All-Big South), Lena Schaeffner (All-Freshman Team) and Marissa Hinchman (All-Freshman Team). Furthermore, Henderson, Alexander and Schaeffner were named to the inaugural Big South All-Championship team by virtue of their top-five event finishes.
Quinney's 2012 team placed second at the Big South Championship, while Brittany Henderson captured individual medalist honors in record-setting fashion. Henderson set the Big South Championship 54-hole record with a 2-under 214 and also tied former Chanticleer Ann Maness for the single round record with a 68 over the second round of competition. Overall, Henderson, Jessica Alexander, Kaitlin Higginbotham and Frida Castillo earned All-Big South honors. Additionally, Quinney directed Henderson to an at-large berth to the NCAA Central Regional, marking Coastal first individual at-large Regional representative since 2008.
Quinney's 2011 squad was the most successful in school and Big South history as the Chanticleers became the first squad in Coastal Carolina and Big South history to qualify for the NCAA Championships. The Chants concluded the season ranked as the No. 24 team in the nation to mark the highest team finish in both school and league history. Along the way Quinney led Coastal to the program's fifth Big South Championship and a fourth place finish at the NCAA East Regional. Furthermore, Quinney directed the Chants to top 10 finishes in seven of the 10 tournaments in which they competed. Coastal Carolina won overall team titles at the Jacksonville University Labor Day Shootout and the UCF Challenge, while finishing runners-up at the Palmetto Intercollegiate and the Kinderlou Forest Challenge.
Under the tutelage of Quinney, Coastal swept the 2011 Big South postseason awards as Jessica Alexander was tabbed Golfer of the Year, Courtney Boe earned Freshman of the Year and Quinney was named Coach of the Year. Additionally, Kaitlin Higginbotham earned All-Big South honors and Alicia Grier was named the Big South All-Academic team.
Quinney led the Chanticleers to a second place finish in the Big South in 2010 and helped Coastal Carolina finish tied for 19th at the NCAA East Regional. Under Quinney's direction, three Chanticleers were named to the All-Big South Conference Team, including Big South Women's Golfer of the Year Aruka Felgueroso. In fact, Felgueroso became just the second golfer in conference history to win the award three different times.
Before arriving in Conway in January 2009, Quinney was in her third coaching season at Florida State, helping coach the Seminoles into the NCAA Tournament in both of her first two seasons as an assistant coach at her alma mater. In her third season on the Seminole's coaching staff she had been promoted to recruiting coordinator. In addition to working with two consecutive NCAA Tournament teams, she accompanied All-America Caroline Westrup to both of the last two NCAA Championships where the Seminoles' star has earned a pair of top-15 individual finishes.
Quinney is a 2004 Florida State graduate who received her degree in psychology after earning three varsity letters as a member of the Seminoles' starting line-up. Following her graduation she played professionally on the Futures, Asian and Canadian professional tours.
Quinney, who garnered All-ACC honors in 2004, is one of 11 players in school history to earn All-ACC honors. She finished with a career-low scoring average and posted three top-five individual finishes in receiving All-ACC honors as a senior. Quinney finished in third place in the Liz Murphey Collegiate, tied for fourth at the Ryder/Florida Championship and tied for fifth in the ACC Championship. She then finished in a tie for 12th place at the NCAA East Regional Championship to lead the Seminoles to a fourth-place finish and into the NCAA Championship for the third time in her career.
Quinney helped the Seminoles reach the NCAA Championship in 2002, 2003 and 2004 making her senior class one of only four in school history to play in consecutive NCAA Championships during their careers. Her career-best single-round score of 67 came during the second round of the spring 2004 ACC Championship while the best individual finish of her career came as a third place finish at the spring 2004 Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic and the fall 2003 Ann Rhoads/University of Alabama Intercollegiate.
During her career as a Seminole she played in three NCAA Championships, three NCAA Regionals, three ACC Championships and helped Florida State win three team championships (spring 2002 Ryder/Florida Championship, spring 2003 Ryder/Florida Championship and fall 2003 Ann Rhoads/University of Alabama Intercollegiate).
Quinney was a member of the NCAA All-Star Women's Golf Team that played in a series of tournaments in the Orient during the summer of 2003. She was one of only 10 golfers who played in the month-long tour. During their stay in the Orient, the team traveled to and played in Korea, Thailand, Japan and Hong Kong. The NCAA All-Stars played in a total of 16 different tournaments during their stay in the Orient. The tournaments consisted of pro-am and competitive matches against that country's all-stars.
The Jacksonville, Fla., native played in the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship three times and was named to the Trans America Athletic Conference All-Freshman team during her first collegiate season at Jacksonville University.
Quinney's Coastal Carolina Ledger
| Year |
Tournament Wins |
Top-Fives |
Top-10s |
Big South / Sun Belt Finish |
NCAA Regional Finish |
NCAA Championship Finish |
| 2008-09 |
2 |
|
|
Champion |
13th at East Regional |
-- |
| 2009-10 |
2 |
|
|
Second |
t-19th at East Regional |
-- |
| 2010-11 |
2 |
8 |
10 |
Champion |
Fourth at East Regional |
24th |
| 2011-12 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
Second |
Individual (Brittany Henderson) |
-- |
| 2012-13 |
3 |
8 |
11 |
Champion |
Eighth at East Regional |
-- |
| 2013-14 |
0 |
3 |
7 |
Second |
-- |
-- |
| 2014-15 |
4 |
6 |
11 |
Champion |
Ninth at Raleigh Regional |
Individual (Lena Schaeffenr) |
| 2015-16 |
1 |
4 |
9 |
Second |
-- |
-- |
| 2016-17 |
1 |
|
4 |
Ninth |
-- |
-- |
| 2017-18 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
Champion |
t-15 at Tallahassee Regional |
-- |
| 2018-19 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
Sixth |
-- |
-- |
| 2019-20 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
Cancelled
(COVID-19) |
Cancelled
(COVID-19) |
Cancelled
(COVID-19) |
| 2020-21 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
Champion |
14 at Columbus Regional |
-- |
| 2021-22 |
2 |
6 |
3 |
Second |
-- |
-- |
| 2022-23 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
12th |
-- |
-- |
| 2023-24 |
1 |
3 |
8 |
6th |
-- |
-- |
| 2024-25 |
1 |
4 |
8 |
2nd (Lost in Match Play Semifinals) |
-- |
-- |
