STORM LAKE, Iowa (Sept. 2,  2026) - Over the last few years, the Buena Vista University women's golf program has steadily built itself back into a contender within the American Rivers Conference, and now the depth will be among its strengths going forward which excites eighth-year head coach Joe Powell.

“We will hopefully have the deepest roster we have had in recent years,” says Powell. “We will have five incoming newcomers to go along with six returning players. That will allow for more competitiveness during qualifying rounds which will benefit us as the year moves along.”

The Beavers have turned in a top-5 finish at the A-R-C Championships in three straight seasons which marks the program’s best stretch in two decades. Powell has coached three all-conference selections over the last two years after the program went more than five years without one.

Brooke Stellmaker (10th in 2025), Noelle  Hamand (10th in 2024) and Hailey Bistodeau (8th in 2024) were instrumental in building the program back up  to conference contention, but this year’s depth will be faced with replacing all three after graduation following last season.

Senior Riley Haschke is coming off one of her best collegiate seasons where she played 19 rounds as a junior and placed 20th at the conference championships. She finished her spring season on a high note with back-to-back top-five individual finishes. Junior Ella Whited played 17 rounds as a sophomore and closed with a top-five finish of her own in the spring.

“Riley took a nice jump in the spring of her junior season, and we expect that to continue as she comes back to compete in one last conference season,” says Powell. Her mental game has always been pretty strong, but with her being the leading force for the team age wise, I think she will take a lot of young talent under her wings and help the team and herself continue to grow.”

Last season, BVU averaged a score of 348 over across 19 total rounds played and has essentially maintained that average over the last three seasons.

The schedule continues to push the Beavers throughout the fall beginning with a tough Championship Preview where seven of the eight A-R-C programs will be among the field. In the middle of September, the program hosts its annual BVU Fall Invite which also includes a number of conference foes before going up against a strong field the week before conference that includes a heavy dose of NAIA, NJCAA and Division III schools. The A-R-C Championships are held at Sunnyside Golf and Country Club in Waterloo from October 11-13.