The Great Neck Girls’ Varsity Golf team pioneered the 2026 season, paving their legacy as one of the most successful Great Neck teams in recent years. The team dominated the conference, county, and Long Island championships, with seven golfers qualifying for the individual Nassau County post-season matches.             

The team ended their regular season with a 9-1 record and led their playoff matches undefeated. After winning the Nassau County and Long Island Championships, their starting lineup moved on to the state matches in Rochester, New York. Led by Coach Matthew Corrigan, four players participated in this competition against teams from all over New York State. The golfers ended with the lowest average score overall, putting them in first place and making them New York State champions.

The team is not new to victory: After placing first at the county-level for seven consecutive years, the current players have made it to the state-wide competition each season they have been on the team. In 2019, the Long Island Championship was introduced as an additional match to the already-established county playoff games, in which the Great Neck girls found themselves triumphant. The team has continued to defeat Suffolk County each year since, making them the only reigning Long Island Girls’ Golf champions. While there are a few standout players, such as seniors Caylin Wong or Lia Huang, the team is successful because of their ability to work together as one.

While golf may be a traditionally individual sport, the Great Neck team approaches each match as a whole, rooting for the group rather than just one or two players. “Winning brings us together,” said Senior Vanessa Keilbach, “but more than that, everyone on the team is really nice and positive. We are all different ages, but everyone is sweet to each other. We all come together and support each other.” The age gap between players fosters a deeper connection. With team members ranging from seventh to twelfth grade, there is mentorship that occurs all throughout the season. Most players come onto the team with experience, so their mutual love for the sport and willingness to become better acts as the glue that bonds them together. 

Golfers from both North High and South High participate as a part of the roster. While this may seem like cause for concern because of the intense rivalry between the schools, the team has avoided that barrier and, instead, operates to represent Great Neck as a whole. “We don’t have that rivalry in golf. Sometimes I forget that they are even with North. We just set it aside because we are one team. It doesn’t matter what school they go to, it matters about us as a team trying to win and playing together,” Keilbach said. 

There is no doubt that the team will continue to thrive in the coming years. The current seniors may have led the group for the past four years, but younger talent will keep the team running strong. One of the golf team’s strengths is their variety of talent and willingness to improve. Every player has the skills to show up, swing their clubs, and dominate on the course—even middle schoolers Lele Liu and Doris Lu, who still have up to five more years of varsity golf ahead of them. It can be competitive to get put into the playing lineup, especially on such a well-rounded team, but every golfer contributes to the winning streak.

“What sets us apart from the other teams,” said Keilbach, “is that every single person can consistently shoot well and help us win. That is how we made it so far.”