FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (September 2, 2026) - The Northern Arizona women's golf team is set for a competitive fall season, with four tournaments on the schedule throughout the semester.
Led by head coach Brad Bedortha, the Lumberjacks will feature a roster of seven, including three true freshmen, three transfers and one returning player. The roster represents six different countries, with freshmen Sofia Blanco (Bolivia), Martyna Muchajer (Poland) and Kristyna Malinova (Czech Republic) joining the 'Jacks this season. Read more about the incoming freshmen here.
Two junior transfers, Alexa Ouellet and Ella Zanatta, both come to Flagstaff from Ontario, Canada.
Ouellet spent her first two collegiate seasons at Northern Illinois, competing in 68 career rounds across 23 tournaments. As a freshman, she led the Huskies with a team-best 75.6 scoring average and paced the team six times on the leaderboard. She earned Mid-American Conference Golfer of the Week honors and was named to the All-MAC Second Team. During her sophomore season, Ouellet led the Huskies twice and posted a 78.39 scoring average. She recorded two top-10 finishes and was named Academic All-MAC.
Zanatta joins NAU after two seasons at Central Michigan, where she was the Chippewas' top finisher in five of nine tournaments. She made an immediate impact in her first collegiate event, tying for first at the CMU A-Ga-Ming Invitational. Later that season, she won the Bowling Green Dolores Black Invitational with consecutive rounds of 71, recording the second-best two-round total in program history. Zanatta earned MAC Golfer of the Week honors following both performances.
During her sophomore season, Zanatta recorded three top-10 finishes and led the team in eight events. She also fired a career-best and program-record-tying 4-under 68 in the second round of the City of Oaks Collegiate at Lonnie Poole Golf Course in Raleigh, N.C. She finished the season with a team-best 75.81 scoring average, the fourth-best mark in Central Michigan history. Her career scoring average of 75.92 ranks second in program history.
Senior transfer Gracie Heinle joins the Lumberjacks from Sam Houston. Originally from The Woodlands, Texas, Heinle competed in four events as a freshman, posting a 79.0 scoring average. As a junior, she played in all nine regular-season tournaments and lowered her scoring average to 77.2. Her best finish came at the 2024 REMAX Prime Properties Bearkat Invitational, where she carded rounds of 69-71-83 to finish fifth. Heinle competed in four events during the fall of her junior season before an injury ended her season.
Frankie Dezis is the lone returning Lumberjack this season. The Bath, England, native is coming off a successful sophomore campaign that included helping NAU capture the 2025 Big Sky Conference Championship. Dezis finished tied for third individually at the championship with rounds of 70-71-70 (-2).
She added another top-three finish at the season-opening Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational, shooting 74-72-68 (-2) to finish tied for second. Dezis posted a 73.84 scoring average for the season and finished No. 410 in the Scoreboard national rankings.
The Lumberjacks will open the season at the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational, hosted by New Mexico on Sept. 14-15 at the UNM Championship Course in Albuquerque.
NAU finished fifth at last year's tournament with a team score of 885 (+21). Dezis went bogey-free in the final round and carded four birdies to climb 12 spots on the leaderboard and finish tied for second at 2-under. Now a graduate assistant, Lizzie Neale also finished strong, shooting a 3-under 69 in the final round to climb nine spots and finish tied for fifth at 1-under.
The following week, Sept. 21-23, the 'Jacks will travel to Vail, Colo., for the Golfweek Red Sky Classic. NAU finished tied for seventh at the 2025 event with a three-round total of 14-over. The Lumberjacks shot 2-under in the final round to climb three spots on the leaderboard.
The tournament has also produced a pair of memorable moments for NAU, with two Lumberjacks recording holes-in-one in recent years. Elle Kocourkova aced the 132-yard 17th hole in 2021, while Ellena Slater recorded an ace on the 136-yard 10th hole in 2024.
NAU will return to New Mexico in October for the NMSU Golf Iconic Classic, held Oct. 12-14 at New Mexico State's Championship Course. The Lumberjacks finished as runners-up at last year's tournament, shooting 7-under as a team. Despite challenging weather conditions, NAU was the only team to finish the final round under par, climbing five spots on the leaderboard. The tournament was highlighted by senior Nina Lukyanenko's career-best 5-under 67 in the opening round. She followed with consecutive even-par 72s to finish tied for fourth.
Amy Hodgkins also finished inside the top 10, carding a 1-under 71 in the final round, highlighted by two birdies, including one on her final hole. She climbed seven spots to finish eighth at 3-under. Just one stroke behind her, Neale shot a 3-under 69 in the final round to jump 25 spots and finish 12th at 2-under.
The fall season will conclude with The Clash at Boulder Creek, the sixth edition of the tournament hosted by Northern Arizona. The event will be played at Boulder Creek Golf Course in Boulder City, Nev. The Lumberjacks captured the team title at the 2025 Clash at Boulder Creek, finishing at 24-under. Neale placed third individually after carding three rounds of 69 (-3) for a 207 (-9) total, while Hodgkins finished tied for fourth at 8-under. The year prior, NAU delivered a record-setting performance at Boulder Creek, establishing program records for both an 18-hole team score (-21) and a 54-hole team score (-27).
With a mix of experienced transfers, international newcomers and a returning Big Sky champion, the Lumberjacks will look to build on last season's success and make their mark throughout the fall.
Stay up to date with the Northern Arizona women's golf team by following the 'Jacks on Instagram and X.
