Completed Event: Women's Golf versus Stanford Intercollegiate on October 17, 2025 , , 9th/19
Final
Women's Golf
Stanford Intercollegiate
9th/19
Iowa State University Athletics
Cyclones End Fall Season Ranked 26th Nationally
11.16.2010 | Women's Golf
AMES, Iowa - The Iowa State women's golf team picked up where it left off last season and hasn't stopped. After a record-setting 2009-10 season in which the Cyclones achieved their best Big 12 Conference finish (fourth) and advanced to the NCAA Regional for the first time since 1996, the Cyclones placed fourth or better in all five of their fall tournaments.
The impressive fall performance marked the first time the Cyclones placed in the top-four in every fall meet since 1993. Iowa State capped off the fall campaign in style by claiming the program's first tournament victory since 2004 with a win at the Challenge at Onion Creek. Their outstanding showing this fall places the Cyclones in uncharted territory, as Iowa State heads into the winter break as the 26th-ranked team nationally by Golfweek.
"It's really exciting what our team has been able to accomplish in the fall," Iowa State head coach Christie Martens said. "Our golfers all played well, top to bottom. It's fun to know that every week they can play better than the previous week."
Martens' squad is no doubt the deepest she's had since taking over the program in 2005. Five different golfers placed in the top-10 11 times during the fall campaign and the top-six golfers all recorded stroke averages below 76.00.
Iowa State flirted with winning a tournament numerous times in the fall, finishing runner-up at both the Wolverine Invitational and the Windy City Collegiate. The Cyclones broke through and won the Challenge at Onion Creek in the final fall event, carding a 54-hole 884 tally, the fourth-lowest tournament score in school history.
Martens hopes getting the taste of winning will carry over to the spring.
"Winning the last tournament is going to be a springboard for us. We know what we can accomplish and we know we have a team that is good enough to win and compete with anybody," Martens said.
Cyclone golfers dotted the leaderboard all fall, and senior captains Victoria Stefansen and Laurence Herman were right there, as always, leading the way. Stefansen recorded a 75.06 stroke average in fall and had two top-10 performances, while Herman posted a 74.60 stroke average and compiled three top-10 showings.
"Our seniors have been great and are really excited about we can accomplish this year," Martens said. "They are both great leaders in different ways. Vic (Stefansen) is really in to the team and very vocal. Lo (Herman) is not as vocal as Vic, but she leads by example with her work ethic and practice."
Punpaka Phuntumabamrung, a sophomore from Bangkok, Thailand, came on late in the season a year ago when she recorded the best individual finish for a Cyclone at the Big 12 Championships (T7th). She has demonstrated that she could be one of the greatest players in school history with an outstanding start to the 2010-11 season. Phuntumabamrung had three top-10 finishes en route to a team-low 74.40 stroke average. She only shot one round in the 80s and her worst finish was a respectable tie for 23rd at the Windy City Collegiate.
Martens feels the sky is the limit for her star sophomore.
"Bo (Phuntumabamrung) is a great player who has a great personality for the game," said Martens. "She is very laid back and does not get ruffled about things. I think it will be exciting to see what she can accomplish when her career is over."
The Cyclones' lineup was also bolstered by performances from junior Kristin Paulson and freshmen Sasikarn On-iam and Prima Thammaraks. Paulson, who has played in every tournament of her career, notched her first career top-10 finish by placing 10th at the Lady Northern Invitational. She ended the fall season with a 75.93 stroke average.
On-iam saw action in the last three meets, recording an impressive 74.22 stroke average. Thammaraks, in just her second tournament of her career, tied for second at the Windy City Collegiate behind a second-round 68. She tallied a 74.83 stroke average in four events.
Martens knows what this team is capable of and what the next step is. Advancing to the NCAA Championships is the goal and she hopes the spring season can mirror the fall.
"It's (NCAA Championships) something they can definitely accomplish," Martens said. "It's all about going out and playing as well as they can play every day. Everyone on the team knows we are capable of making it that far."
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Christie Martens 5_12_25 availability
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