Taking over a program in its infancy can be tough, but Rhyll Brinsmead has led the Kennesaw State women’s golf program to historic heights in her 13 years at the helm.
Since taking over prior to the 2007-08 season, the Owls have:
- Won four ASUN Conference championships
- Made four NCAA Regional appearances
- Posted 92 Top 10 and 55 Top 5 finishes
- Captured nine tournament titles
- Had one CoSIDA Academic All-District Team Selection
- Had 16 WGCA All-America Scholars
- Had two ASUN Scholar Athletes of the Year
- Had nine players selected to the ASUN Conference All-Academic Team
- Had one player qualify as an individual for the NCAA Championships
- Had six individuals named ASUN Golfer of the Year
- Had 32 players selected ASUN All-Conference
- Had four players garner ASUN Conference Freshman of the Year honors
- Had 13 players earn ASUN Conference All-Freshman Team accolades
- Had Rhyll Brinsmead earn ASUN Conference Coach of the Year five times
KSU had success despite the shortened 2019-20 season due to COVID-19. The Owls had three top-10 finishes against impressive competition in the Golfweek Conference Challenge, Magnolia Invitational, and Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational. KSU placed two members on the ASUN's 10-member all-conference team. First-year Owls Tai Anudit and Meva Schmit headlined a strong list. Anudit was the top-ranked golfer in the ASUN. The junior's adjusted scoring vs. par was 1.48 and had an average score was 73.14. Her top finish was her last tournament, when she tied for third in helping lead KSU to a tie for seventh at the Dr. Donnis Invitational in Hawaii. The Phitsanulok, Thailand native was a shot away from a playoff for first place. She had nine rounds under par with eight at par or better, and was a unanimous selection. Schmit was the ninth ranked player in the ASUN. The freshman had a 2.70 score adjusted vs. par and an average score of 74.40. The Bali, Indonesia native's best showing was when she was named the ASUN Conference Women's Golfer of the Week after her first collegiate tournament. At the Golfweek Conference Challenge, she tied for eighth with a 211.
The Owls thrived in 2018-19 under Brinsmead’s leadership. KSU set the program scoring record with a 294.17 scoring average and finished ranked No. 43 in the Golfstat rankings. The Owls won the Magnolia Invitational, Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic and the ASUN Championship. KSU collected back-to-back ASUN titles for the first time in program history. KSU posted 10 top 10 finishes in 11 events and had three players ranked in the top 250 of the Golfstat rankings.
Following KSU’s success, the Owls racked up accolades as Clara Aveling was named both ASUN Women's Golfer of the Year and ASUN First Team All-Conference. Chloe Thornton was tabbed Freshman of the Year, First Team All-Conference and landed a spot on the All-Freshmen Team. Roanne Tomlinson collected ASUN First Team All-Conference honors. Medy Thavong earned a spot on ASUN All-Conference Second Team and All-Academic Team. Brinsmead rounded out the season by being named the league’s Coach of the Year for the fifth time in her tenure.
Brinsmead guided the Owls to one of the best seasons in program history in 2017-18 as the Owls finished with a 296.24 four-player scoring average and collected two tournament wins and 11 top 10 tournament finishes. KSU also won its second ASUN Conference Championship title in four seasons in 2018.
The Owls collected a plethora of postseason awards as Madison Caldwell was named the ASUN Women's Golfer of the Year and an ASUN First Team All-Conference selection, while Brinsmead collected the ASUN Coach of the Year Award. Senior Henriette Nielsen and junior Roanne Tomlinson were selected to the All-ASUN First Team. Juniors Clara Aveling and Charlotte Charrayre were named to the All-ASUN Second Team. Kwan Wongsinth was named to the All-Freshman Team and Medy Thavong landed a spot on the All-Academic team.
In 2016-2017, Brinsmead earned her third ASUN Coach of the Year honor after leading the Owls to nine top 10 tournament finishes in 11 events, marking the second most in program history. KSU owned a 299.64 four-player scoring average, which represented the third-lowest season score in program history.
Individually, Medy Thavong earned ASUN Conference Player of the Year, Scholar Athlete of the Year, first team all-conference and all-academic team accolades. Dulcie Sverdloff and Henriette Nielsen garnered spots on the all-conference team and Thavong also became the first player in program history selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team.
Brinsmead and the Owls reached the top of the ASUN Conference with a dominating performance at the 2015 ASUN Championships, earning the program’s second conference title with an amazing wire-to-wire 30-stroke win.
Under Brinsmead’s tutelage, Kaew Preamchuen qualified for the 2014 NCAA Championships as an individual.
The conference title earned Kennesaw State its second NCAA regional berth, advancing to the San Antonio Regional where it placed 14th.
The solid play by the Owls helped Brinsmead earn ASUN Conference Coach of the Year honors for the second time in her career, while five players earned ASUN Conference accolades.
Kennesaw State took its first step toward achieving national recognition when it captured the program’s first ASUN Conference title and NCAA postseason berth during the 2011-12 season.
The Owls advanced to the NCAA West Regional at Colorado National Golf Club where they placed 20th in the 24-team event.
Prior to taking the reins as the second head coach in Kennesaw State history, Brinsmead spent three years (2005-2007) as an assistant coach at Iowa State. While serving as an assistant, the Cyclones had their second best Big XII Conference finish and had three players earn conference all-academic honors.
Brinsmead began her coaching career at her alma mater, Texas State, where she served as an assistant during the 2004-05 season.
While a student-athlete at Texas State, Brinsmead was a four-year letter winner and served as team captain during her junior and senior seasons. She also helped the Bobcats capture the 2002 Southland Conference championship.
Brinsmead received a United States Golf Association (USGA) P.J. Boatwright internship with the Central Texas Junior Golf Association where she initiated and implemented the region's LPGA-USGA Junior Girls Golf Club. She also coordinated the Hook a Kid on Golf junior camp, a free camp for junior golfers.
Brinsmead received a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sports science from Texas State and a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy studies from Iowa State. She currently resides in Kennesaw, Ga.
