"We're just a group of fighters."
That's what Kentucky women's golfer Raleygh Simpson told BBN Tonight anchor Maggie Davis, following the team's historic run to the 2026 NCAA Women's Golf National Championship. The Cats had overcome a 10-shot deficit in the round prior, at the Tallahassee Regional, to advance to the championship for the seventh time in program history, the first since 2021.
"Every time I think about it, it sends a smile to my face because it was so surreal to do," Simpson added. "To beat UCLA, such a highly-ranked team, it was just crazy."
One month later, confidence remains at an all-time high around the program.
"I think this year we proved we’re good enough. I think we also proved that on the biggest stage, we can perform," Eddyville, Kentucky native Cathryn Brown told Davis. "It’s not about: who is this Kentucky team? It’s: watch out, this Kentucky team is 9-shots behind and they’re capable of coming back!"
The comeback can continue into the 2026-27 season, with all five members of last year's final lineup set up for a return to UK.
"The college world has changed a lot but all of us have a love for Kentucky, a love for each other and a love for this program. We want to leave it better than we found it," Karlie Campbell told Davis in the weeks following the team's trip to the National Championship.
"I love Kentucky; I love Lexington. I love representing this program. I can’t wait to see all of the glass ceilings we break over the next few years."
Yup. 🙂↕️ pic.twitter.com/GX5cwsRSzr
— Kentucky Women’s Golf (@KentuckyWGolf) June 5, 2026
All five golfers who represented the Kentucky on the biggest stage stepped into the ring prepared for a fight, including first-year Wildcat, Sammy Paradise.
"I got the true blessing of playing at regionals, which wasn’t something anyone was expecting, including me," Paradise, a junior, told Davis via zoom from her home in Florida. "But I had been preparing and I was ready for that moment when the time was mine."
Paradise transferred from Dayton State College, where she was a two-time JUCO All-American, to the University of Kentucky, where she cracked the Kentucky lineup just prior to regionals.
"My mindset throughout that whole tournament was to just learn and be prepared when they need me. That’s my job as a good teammate: to be there when they need you," Paradise said.
C.A. Carter had been rooting for the Cats her entire life, and following in her father's footsteps to compete for Kentucky was a no brainer. When asked when she knew she wanted to golf for the University of Kentucky, she replied: "since I could walk."
"I’ve always grown up a Kentucky fan. I have been going to football games as long as I can remember with my mom and dad," Carter said. "My roots are so deep here."
From punting to putting 💙
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) May 13, 2026
Wildcat punter Jimmy Carter made his mark with his leg on the football field for the Cats, and now his daughter, CA Carter, delivered a clutch putt to send the Cats to the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships! ⛳️ pic.twitter.com/pllj4NPLP1
That fivesome finished better than seeded at both postseason tournaments. In all, the team collected one team tournament title, six team top-three finishes, three individual tournament titles and set the fourth-best, all-time stroke average in program history (291.1).
With all five set to return to the Bluegrass, now as upperclassmen, Davis and BBN Tonight detail the individual stories of determination which led the group as a whole to one of the best seasons in program history. Watch the full story for more on each golfer, how the Cats were able to rally time and time again, how last season's experiences will fuel next season's success, and what's still to come for the Fighting Five.
Nick Lazaroff and Hannah Hamelback contributed to this story as photographers and editors. We'd also like to extend a special thank you to the team's head coach, Golda Borst, and sports information director, Cami Moore Williams, as well as the UK Sports Video department for providing video footage for this story.
For more on Kentucky golf and all of the Wildcats, join us on BBN Tonight, airing weeknights at 7:30 p.m. on the official station for UK Athletics, LEX 18.
Maggie Davis is committed to covering the stories that matter to you. If you have an idea, please reach out to Maggie at maggie.davis@wlex.tv
