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For the first time in program history, the CSU Pueblo Thunderwolves will compete at the 2026 NCAA Division II Women's Golf National Championship, which begins Tuesday at the historic PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The Thunderwolves punched their ticket to nationals after a third-place finish at the NCAA West Regional, which CSU Pueblo hosted at Pueblo Country Club earlier this month.
Now ranked No. 25 in the nation, the Thunderwolves head east looking to continue one of the best seasons the program has ever seen on one of the most iconic stages in collegiate golf.
PGA National, a par-72 course playing at 5,986 yards this week, is one of the most recognizable venues in professional golf as the longtime host of the PGA Tour's Honda Classic, now known as the Cognizant Classic. The course has challenged some of the biggest names in golf history, including Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Seve Ballesteros, Larry Nelson, Fuzzy Zoeller, and Chris Kirk.
This week, the Thunderwolves will get their shot at the famed South Florida layout.
CSU Pueblo will begin its national championship run Tuesday morning paired alongside Barry University and Ferris State University. The Thunderwolves will tee off from the first hole beginning at 8:30 a.m. Mountain Time.
The lineup for Tuesday's opening round is:
Weather could become a storyline throughout the championship as storms are expected to move through South Florida during the afternoon hours on Tuesday, something NCAA officials will monitor closely as the week progresses.
One of the defining stretches of PGA National awaits the Thunderwolves late in the round — the legendary "Bear Trap," designed and made famous by Jack Nicklaus, the Golden Bear himself.
The stretch begins at the par-3 15th hole, a picturesque but dangerous test featuring water running the entire right side with bunkers protecting the left. The challenge continues at the 16th, a dogleg-right par 4 where water guards both the right side of the fairway and the front of the green. The Bear Trap concludes at the par-3 17th, another demanding hole featuring water short and all along the left side of the putting surface.
For years, holes 15 through 17 have created dramatic swings on the PGA Tour leaderboard, ruining title hopes for some while creating unforgettable moments for others.
Then comes the finishing hole — the par-5 18th — one final risk-reward challenge with water lining the entire right side. Players often must decide whether to lay up safely or attack the green in two, a gamble that has produced some of the tournament's most memorable shots over the years.
Now, CSU Pueblo gets its opportunity to take on the same stage.
After climbing back into the national rankings, winning a school record six times this season, claiming their fourth straight RMAC Championship, and earning the first national championship berth in school history, the Thunderwolves arrive in Palm Beach Gardens prepared to test themselves against the best teams in Division II golf on one of the sport's most recognizable courses.
