Conference championship time is here for the Valparaiso University women's golf team as the Beacons prepare to embark upon the 2026 Missouri Valley Conference Championship, which will begin on Sunday and run through Tuesday at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill.
 
This marks the first location change for the MVC Women's Golf Championship in four years, as the event was played at Annbriar Golf Course in Waterloo, Ill. in each of the last three seasons.
 
"The advice I've gotten about the golf course from some people who have already played and visited is that it is a modern golf course," Valpo head coach Jill McCoy said. "It's big, it's wide, I'm not going to say it's easy, but hopefully it's a little wider than what we just played in Terre Haute, so that will give us a little more confidence moving into this tournament."
 
The Beacons recorded their best team round of the season so far in Round 1 of the final regular-season tournament, which occurred this past Sunday at the Indiana State Spring Invitational in Terre Haute, Ind.
 
"The team has worked a lot on maintaining composure," McCoy said. "Everybody is going to have a bad hole; it happens. Not letting that ruin a round and continuing to push through those and play one swing at a time is crucial. That's all you can do because that's all you can control. Do that for 18 holes and then add it up and hope that it's better than you thought."
 
Senior Taylor Skibinski (Michigan City, Ind. / Michigan City) just turned in her second top-10 finish of the season. She leads the team in scoring average at 80.40.
 
"It's going to be emotional," McCoy said. "I've coached Taylor since she was about 8 years old. She is part of the family, for sure. I was just thinking about this last night – I can't believe it's over, that it's been four years and she is moving on. I'm looking forward to having these last three rounds of golf with her and getting as much out of it as she possibly can. Not only has she really improved her game over the last four years, but she's a hard worker and a great person. I couldn't ask for a better player."
 
McCoy's daughter Katelyn McCoy (Chesterton, Ind. / Chesterton) is a redshirt junior who is undecided on whether or not she will return for a fifth season.
 
"It's hard and a lot of fun to always want to make sure I have a good balance between being Coach and wanting to be Mom too," McCoy said. "It's fun coaching someone who you have a little bit of a different relationship with and you can scream at and yell a little bit harsher than everyone else, but trying not to do that because she doesn't deserve it as a player."
 
Skibinski and Katelyn were the team's two returning players. Freshmen Nora Meek (Beavercreek, Ohio / Beavercreek), Katie Estridge (Biloxi, Miss. / Biloxi) and Maddie Soffin (Chesterton, Ind. / Chesterton) joined the program this season, while junior Keira Cotter (Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada / Guelph) transferred in and junior Rachel Gatten (North Ridgeville, Ohio / Lake Ridge) joined as a walk-on.
 
"The team atmosphere has been the best that I've had in the last eight years of coaching – it's been phenomenal," McCoy said. "The girls who joined the team have really found their way, and Katelyn and Taylor have both been inviting and supportive. They've all bonded well – they play games at the hotels; I'm just impressed with what they do as a team. Moving forward without Taylor and Katelyn, we have a good foundation. The others have a sense of what that team culture is and why it's so important, so we'll be able to continue that as we move forward."