Women’s Golf: WGCA Coach of the Year watch list includes UVA’s Scott

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Fifth-year Virginia women’s head coach coach Ria Scott was named by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association to its Division I Jackie Steinmann National Coach of the Year Watch List on Wednesday.

Scott is one of 24 head coaches named to the watch list and one of four from the ACC.

This season, Scott led UVA to the finals of the ACC Championship before the Cavaliers lost to Clemson in the match play final. She has coached sophomore Amanda Sambach to three tournament titles including the ACC Individual Championship and a first-place finish at the NCAA Westfield Regional.

UVA will be competing at the NCAA Championships in Scottsdale, Ariz., starting Friday. It is the team’s 13th NCAA Championship appearance in the 20-year program history. It marks the third time Scott has led UVA to the NCAA finals. She also did so in 2019 and 2022. There was no event in 2020 due to the pandemic. She has taken UVA to NCAA Regional competitions four times during her tenure at Virginia.

Finalists for Division I Jackie Steinmann WGCA National Coach of the Year (listed alphabetically):
Kalen Anderson, University of South Carolina
Amy Bond, Florida State University
Gerrod Chadwell, Texas A&M University
Dana Dormann, San Jose State University
Charlie Ewing, Mississippi State University
Emily Fletcher, Northwestern University
Laurie Gibbs, Pepperdine University
Jay Goble, Baylor University
Caroline Haase-Hegg, Augusta University
Kory Henkes, University of Mississippi
Kelley Hester, Clemson University
Laura Ianello, University of Arizona
Kim Lewellen, Wake Forest University
Lauren Mason, Southern Methodist University
Ryan Murphy, University of Texas
Angie Ravaioli-Larkin, Texas Christian University
Garrett Runion, Louisiana State University
Ria Scott, University of Virginia
Dawn Shockley, Oregon State University
Justin Silverstein, University of Southern California
Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll, Michigan State University
Jill Trujillo, University of New Mexico
Anne Walker, Stanford University
Annie Young, University of Tulsa

Congrats to head coach @CoachRiaScott on be selected for this @WGCAGOLF Coach of the Year Watch List. #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/ktqRNgBlfQ

— Virginia Women’s Golf (@UVAWomensGolf) May 17, 2023