Skill, success and potential are not limited or decided by experience, class or age.
Sophomore Zoe Garcia has proved that she can match the level of veteran college golfers.
Garcia was recruited for Seattle Pacific University’s inaugural women’s golf roster in June 2024. She previously played a season at Regis University, where she was named to the 2023-2024 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Women’s Golf All-Conference Second Team.
Before Regis, Garcia graduated from Summit High School in Bend, Oregon. While playing for her high school’s golf team, Garcia was picked for the First Team All-State and the IMC Player of the Year at the end of her senior season. She also placed first in the 2023 IMC Championships.
Garcia has been a reliable asset for the Falcons, scoring in top individual rankings in recent tournaments.
Her best individual placings were 14th at the Southern Colorado Classic on March 21 and a tie for third at the SMSU Classic on March 18.
Garcia placed at the LA Spring Kickoff 47th, but she shot the best two rounds out of the team.
“Coming into spring, getting to prove that I am capable of [finishing in] the top 20s and top 10s was a big, big step,” Garcia said. “It shows that no matter what grade you are, you could still be young [and] still achieve good rounds and good finishes.”
During the team’s 2024 fall session, SPU competed in three tournaments: the Flagler Fall Slam on Oct. 22, the True North Classic on Sept. 24 and the Grisham Memorial Shootout on Sept. 21. Garcia placed 52nd, 21st and 34th, respectively, at the tournaments.
Seattle Pacific had two dual matches in the fall against Saint Martin’s University on Oct. 12 and George Fox University on Sept. 14. Garcia placed ninth and 10th at the matches but improved from the third-best of SPU to the team’s top golfer.
Head coach Tyler Copp is glad to have witnessed Garcia’s growth, commending her work ethic and competitive spirit.
“Zoe is super talented, and golf is such a skill and mental game that you need to have a little bit of talent,” Copp said. “Her competitiveness is really impressive. She wants to win every drill and every competition that we have. She lives for those moments, and it just shows how confident of a player she is, and that confidence comes from all the preparation and work she’s put in.”
Furthermore, Copp is confident that Garcia’s talent and dedication will quickly bear fruit over her time with SPU.
“Her future is sky high,” Copp said. “She has the potential to put together a really impressive career, whether it’s all-conference honors, scoring averages, [or] winning some events.”
Garcia’s rise has been a long time coming. Sophomore Sophie Stamatis followed Garcia to SPU after a full season together at Regis and has watched her develop as a player since their first meeting on the course.
“It’s been really fun watching her improve and play to her best ability, and I’m really glad that we were able to transfer together from Regis,” Stamatis said. “She has excelled a lot this year. She works really hard, and it shows on the course. I’m excited to see what she does at [GNACs] and next year.”
Garcia’s passion for golf has given her a lens through which to view her progression through school and life, always looking out for the next hope to shoot for.
“In golf, you’re not always gonna succeed at everything, and that’s something that you can take into future careers,” Garcia said. “There’s never a place you should be settling. No matter if you get a birdie or bogey on the first hole, you still have so many more opportunities to do better or worse.”
Studying exercise science, Garcia hopes to become a physical therapist after she graduates in 2027.
“I know a lot of people who went into physical therapy and had a bad experience, but I [also] grew up playing sports and saw how PT affected my friends who got injured,” Garcia said. “I wanted to do something in sports that blends with the ability to gain relationships with people while also helping them to be the best or healthiest version of themselves.”
Until then, Garcia’s next challenge is the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championship on Monday, April 21, and Tuesday, April 22, where she will compete as one of five golfers representing SPU. Regardless of the results, Garcia will take this experience in stride and welcome the next stage of her journey.
“In the end, you’re never gonna be stuck in one situation,” Garcia said. “It’s always on to the next, even though it might seem like you’re in a hole or a rut.”
