OLD ORCHARD BEACH, Maine — The University of Hartford captured the 2026 Conference of New England Women’s Golf Championship on Sunday, while the University of New England’s Abby Flanagan claimed her second consecutive individual title at Dunegrass Golf Club. Hartford followed Saturday’s opening-round 353 with a 359 on Sunday to finish at 712, securing a 26-stroke victory over UNE. Hosted by UNE, the championship featured seven teams competing on the par-72, 5,654-yard course.
Flanagan successfully defended her individual crown with a 36-hole total of 160 (+16), keeping her name as the only one on the championship’s individual winners list through its first two editions. After opening with a tournament-low 77 on Saturday, she shot 83 in the final round to finish 10 strokes ahead of Suffolk’s Brooke Bugajewski, who placed second at 170 (+26). Hartford’s Maris Branyan and Suffolk’s Emory Goodson tied for third at 173 (+29), while Suffolk’s Krisna Mahendran rounded out the top five at 174 (+30). Nichols’ Delaney Giesen posted Sunday’s lowest individual round, an 81 (+9), to climb into a tie for seventh.
Hartford placed three golfers among the top seven, led by Branyan’s rounds of 90 and 83. Leah Petruzzi shot consecutive 88s to finish sixth at 176 (+32), while Lilly Sprister tied for seventh at 178 (+34) following rounds of 87 and 91. Abby Crabtree added a 185 (+41) to place 13th, and Gabby DeBenedetto tied for 15th at 197 (+53).
UNE finished second in the team standings at 738, followed by Suffolk at 763. Nichols improved by 24 strokes in the final round, shooting 385 to move into fourth with a total of 794, four strokes ahead of Gordon (798). Roger Williams placed sixth at 897, and Endicott finished seventh at 924.
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE OF NEW ENGLAND
Originally founded in 1984 as the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), and reconstituted as the Conference of New England (CNE) in 2024, the CNE is an NCAA Division III athletic conference composed of 11 full member and nine associate member institutions throughout the New England region. Its membership aims to provide student-athletes with a positive experience in their pursuit of excellence through high academic standards, quality competition and a meaningful student life. The Conference administers championships in 21 intercollegiate sports.