PALM DESERT, Calif. – The Washington & Jefferson College women's golf team wrapped the opening day of the 2026 NCAA Division III Championships. The team currently holds 30^th place with a team score of 344.
 
The Basics
Tournament: NCAA Division III Tournament
Location: Desert Willow Golf Resort / Palm Desert, Calif.
W&J: 30 out of 34
 
Top W&J Individual: Megan Joyce (Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands) and Julia Barthelemy (Crescent, Pa./Moon Area) finished round one as the Presidents' top golfers. Both hold a tie for 102^nd place with 10 other golfers, opening the Division III National Championships with an 81. Barthelemy shot the only bridie on the day for W&J, occurring on hole 13.
 
Notables: MacKenzie Schmeltz (Edwardsburg, Mich./Saint Joseph) is the next best golfer for W&J, holding a tie for 154^th place. The senior shot a opening 18-hole score of 89. Antolena Damico (Irwin, Pa./Penn Trafford) and Lauren Tekely (Glendale, W.Va./John Marshall) finished in a tie for 162^nd place, having shot a 93 in day one.
 
Tournament Highlights
Top Individual: Toral Bhatt from Washington & Lee finished the opening rounds of the NCAA Division III Championships as the early frontrunner in first place. Bhatt shot a 69 to finish three strokes under par. Three golfers finished one shot removed from Bhatt after the first 18 holes.
 
Top Team: The Carnegie Mellon Tartans currently hold a one-shot lead as a team. The Tartans finished the opening round shooting 291 as a team. All of the scoring golfers for CMU rank within the top 50 golfers while two are placed within the top five.
 
Up Next: The Presidents will resume play at Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert, Calif. at 11:40 a.m. on Wednesday (May 20). Damico is set to tee off first for W&J.