UTICA, NY - The Northeast Women's Golf Conference has named its golfers of the week for events from April 6th-12th, with Utica freshman Claire Draper (Watertown, NY/Watertown) being an honoree. In the women's team's first two events of 2026, Draper played strongly to achieve her third Rookie of the Week honors of the 2025-26 golf season. She and the team will now look to compete in the NWGC's Spring Championship this coming Sunday and Monday, April 19th and 20th.

Draper and the Pioneers competed in two events this week, starting their spring season at the Keuka College Spring Invitational before taking on SUNY Cortland's Martin/Wallace Invitational. The freshman led Utica's individual scoring in both events. At the par-72 Lakeside Country Club, Draper shot +22, part of a three-way tie for third place, and four strokes back from a tie for first place. At the Cortland Country Club, Draper turned in rounds of +29 and +26 to rank 30th overall. She was the only Utica golfer to shoot better than +30 in any round.

Utica women's golf will look to close out its season with strong performances at the NWGC Spring Championship. The action will take place at Van Patten Golf Club in Clifton Park, NY, on April 19th and 20th.