First Season of Bentley Women’s Golf is a Dream Come True for Kaitlyn McCarthy ’25
Women’s golf became an official varsity sport at Bentley and just finished its first season in fall 2024. The university now has an equal number (11) of men’s and women’s varsity sports. Co-captain Kaitlyn McCarthy ’25, who worked behind the scenes to advocate for women’s golf at Bentley, talks about her experience this season, what she’s learned on the golf course — and how the sport of golf can empower women.
During high school I played on the men’s golf team because we didn’t have a women’s team. Though I knew I wouldn’t be able to do that in college, I still had a dream to play collegiate golf and was recruited to schools with women’s teams. Ultimately, even though Bentley didn’t have a women’s golf team at the time, I chose to attend because I wanted to study business and get the best possible return on investment after graduation. I wanted to set myself up for success, and I knew Bentley was the perfect school for me. I figured I could play golf recreationally and was willing to sacrifice playing at the NCAA level. But it turns out, I didn’t have to do that. Instead, I started advocating for a women’s team at Bentley. Just before my senior year, varsity women’s golf was officially added to the Bentley Athletics roster.
I remember getting the call from [Associate Athletics Director] Courtney Finn ’13, MBA ’15 with the news. I was so excited that I called my parents and grandfather to tell them. I had been pushing for this team since I committed to Bentley, and from the start I had support from [former women’s basketball Coach] Barbara Stevens, [Athletics Director] Vaughn Williams and Courtney. While they were navigating NCAA regulations and funding, I was doing a lot of the scouting on campus and reaching out to golf courses and simulator facilities where we could hold practices. Once the team became official, David Scholnick was recruited as coach, and I was named co-captain with Jillian Miles ’26. This was truly a dream come true for me: I could get the Bentley education that I really wanted and also be a student-athlete and represent the school that I learned to love so much.
Our debut season in fall 2024 was an incredible experience. I am technically an NCAA rookie and at first it was challenging to get into competitive golf again after being away for three years; it’s such a mental game. The fact that you’re playing against yourself, in a sense, helps form your character and values, particularly integrity as you’re reporting your own score. There might be times, for example, when somebody doesn’t see you hit the sand by accident, and you have to be honest with yourself and count it as a stroke. I think integrity is one of my favorite parts of the game — and something I’ve learned carries over into my education as a Corporate Finance and Accounting major. But I also love the competitiveness. Every single stroke counts – from the long tee shot to the short putt. It really makes you want to be meticulous and plan out your shots, and that is something that is very applicable to your career and life.
Adding the women’s golf team means that men and women are represented 50-50 in varsity athletics. It’s such a smart decision for Bentley because women will have access to all of the networking and business that’s done on a golf course. Golf has been what my parents said it would be when they signed me up for lessons when I was 6 years old: a gateway to opportunities. I didn’t understand it at the time, when I was just learning to swing the club, but now I see golf’s infinite value. Having this team inaugurate during my final year is bittersweet, but I am so grateful for the opportunity to empower women and leave a legacy for future female golfers at Bentley.