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Luana Valero Sophomore · NCAA División I · 2026–2027

Purdue Wins Fighting Irish Classic by 22 Shots

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Fighting Irish Classic belonged to Purdue Women’s Golf, as the Boilermakers dominated two days of play to win the tournament by a whopping 22 strokes. Led by medalist Samantha Brown (-4), Purdue finished 1-under as a team to capture the team title at Warren Golf Course on the campus of the University of Notre Dame.

The Boilermakers’ three-round total of 851 (286-277-288) was the fifth-lowest 54-hole score in program history. Purdue led by five after the opening round, and by the end of the day following play on Saturday afternoon, the lead ballooned to 19. The Boilermakers did not let up on Sunday, posting the lowest round of the day and increasing their margin of victory to 22 strokes over Louisville (+21). Wisconsin (+28) rounded out the Top 3, while North Florida and host Notre Dame tied for fourth at 30-over par.

The 22-shot win was Purdue's largest margin of victory since taking the 2013 Butler Fall Inviational by 28 strokes. The victory secured the Old Gold and Black a team title for the fifth straight season. It was the seventh win under head coach Zack Byrd, the most in a 5-year span since 2010-14. Purdue paced the field in birdies (50), par-3 scoring (E), par-4 scoring (+11) and par-5 scoring (-2). Individually, all five Boilermakers cracked the Top 15.

Brown earned her first individual title, firing a career-low 209 (70-67-72) for the 10th-best 54-hole total in school history. The Westfield, Indiana native made a field-best 15 birdies throughout the tournament, while also leading the field in par-5 scoring (-3). She finished 4-under par for a three-shot victory over Xavier’s Isabel Brozena, as the two golfers entered the final round tied atop the leaderboard.

Ashley Kim (73-70-72—215) and Luana Valero (73-71-71—215) tied for seventh at 2-over. Valero’s 71 (E) led the way on Sunday, starting out on fire with three birdies through her first five holes. Kim matched Brown with a 72 (+1) during the final round; she began and ended her day with birdies. Valero collected her fourth career Top 10, while Kim earned her second Top 10 performance as a Boilermaker.

Lauren Timpf tied for 11th (+4). She carded a season-low 69 (-2) in the second round, while ranking third in the field in par-4 scoring throughout the tournament (E). Olivia Hemmila was one stroke behind Timpf at 5-over, placing 14th on the individual leaderboard for her best finish at Purdue.

Up next, Purdue kicks off the month of October by returning to the Windy City Collegiate Classic (Oct. 5-6) as three-time tournament champions (2008, 2009, 2010).
 

BOILERMAKERS
1. Samantha Brown: 70-67-72—209 (-4)
T-7. Ashley Kim: 73-70-72—215 (+2)
T-7. Luana Valero: 73-71-71—215 (+2)
T-11. Lauren Timpf: 71-69-77—217 (+4)
T-14. Olivia Hemmila: 72-73-73—218 (+5)

Purdue Fires Lowest Final Round, Cracks Top 5 in Stacked Field

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FRANKLIN, Tenn. – Purdue Women’s Golf finished strong, firing the lowest round of the day to crack the Top 5 at the Mason Rudolph Championship. Competing against a stacked field that featured five Top 25 teams, the Boilermakers carded a final round 280 (-4) to move up the leaderboard and claim fifth place.

Sophomore Luana Valero carded her first round in the 60s of the season, posting a 69 (-2) to move up nearly 30 spots and into the Top 25. She made four birdies of her own on Sunday, while playing the final seven holes bogey free and 2-under par to lock up her low round.

Tied alongside Valero at 5-over was Lauren Timpf, who posted a pair of even-par 71s in between her second round 76. Timpf also finished strong on the back nine, draining two birdies and not making a bogey over her last eight holes.

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Boilers in Middle of the Pack in Middle Tennessee

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – Samantha Brown, Olivia Hemmila and Luana Valero carded rounds of 75 (+4) to lead Purdue Women’s Golf on a difficult day at the Mason Rudolph Championship. The Boilermakers find themselves in seventh place in the 15-team field through 36 holes at Vanderbilt Legends Club.

Valero made a team-high three birdies on Saturday. The sophomore birdied a pair of par 3s before recording her third bird at the par-5 18th to conclude her round.

Both of Brown’s birdied came on par 5s, and the Boilermaker remained in the Top 15, tied for 14th at 1-over par (68-75). 

Hemmila shaved three strokes off her opening round to match her teammates for Purdue’s lowest round of the day. The Oakland transfer finished strong, playing the final five holes 1-under par thanks to four pars and a birdie at the par-3 16th.

The Boilermakers look to find the success they had in the first round and climb the leaderboard during Sunday’s final round. Purdue will tee off alongside Northwestern (+15) and North Carolina (+15), beginning at 9 a.m. ET.

Luana Valero Freshman · NCAA División I · 2025–2026

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Boilermakers Place 3rd, Best B1G Finish Since 2019

GLENDALE, Calif. – Purdue Women’s Golf placed third at the 2026 Big Ten Championships, the program’s best performance at the conference tournament since 2019. Entering the tournament as the seventh seed, the Boilermakers (+23) played some of their best golf of the season and recorded their second-lowest 54-hole total ever at the B1G Championships (284-283-296—863).

Purdue led the field with 40 birdies throughout the week, securing the third straight Top 3 finish before heading into NCAA postseason play. Freshman Luana Valero (E) and sophomore Lauren Timpf (+3) cracked the Top 5 to earn their sports on the B1G All-Championships Team, placing fourth and fifth, respectively. The two were the first Boilermakers to land on the all-tournament team since Ida Ayu Indira Melati Putri in 2019.

Valero’s three-day total of 210 (67-69-74) was the second-lowest 54-hole tally by a Boilermaker competing in the conference tournament, and it was the lowest of her career. Her fourth-place finish was also a personal best, claiming her third Top 10 of the season. Valero led the B1G field with 12 birdies, while ranking second in par-4 scoring (-1) throughout the week. Her opening round 67 (-3) was a career low, and she was the only player to record rounds in the 60s in each of the first two days of the tournament.

Timpf was closely behind her teammate, as she paced Purdue for the second straight day with a final round 72 (+2) to secure her third Top 5 performance of the year. Following a career-low 67 (-3) in the second round, the sophomore caught fire to begin her final round with birdies on four of the first seven holes. She made the turn with a 3-under 32 but did not find a birdie on the back side.

Brown matched Timpf with a team-high four birdies on Sunday, recording a 72 (+2) of her own and finishing 13th on the individual leaderboard. She played the par-3s 2-under during the final round, making birdies at No. 3 and No. 16. Carding a 35 (E) on the back nine was the best by any Boilermaker, and she was a bogey-free 1-under on the last six holes.

Up next, the Boilermakers plan to see their name called on next week’s NCAA Selection Show (April 29), beginning at 4 PM ET on Golf Channel. NCAA Regional play will take place at six sites (May 11-13).

BOILERMAKERS
4. Luana Valero: 67-69-74—210 (E)
T-5. Lauren Timpf: 74-67-72—213 (+3)
13. Samantha Brown: 71-72-72—215 (+5)
T-50. Ashley Kim: 72-75-78—225 (+15)
*Ida Lindqvist: 81-79—160 (+20)
^Michaela Headlee: 82 (+12)

Brown Earns All-B1G Honors, Valero Lands on All-Freshman Team

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ROSEMONT, Ill. – Continuing the program’s tradition of success, Purdue Women’s Golf has at least one Boilermaker on the All-Big Ten teams for the 30th consecutive season. Following a vote from the league’s coaches, sophomore Samantha Brown was named Second Team All-Big Ten to earn all-league honors for the first time in her career, while Luana Valero earned a spot on the conference’s inaugural all-freshman team.

Since the conference went to two All-Big Ten teams in 2003, 63 Boilermakers have earned all-league distinction. Purdue has had an All-Big Ten golfer on its team every season since the 1996-97 campaign.

Brown has led the Boilermakers throughout the season in several categories: stroke average (72.61), team-low rounds (18) Top 10 finishes (5), rounds of par-or-better (18), birdies (100) and rounds in the 60s (6). Her six rounds in the 60s are tied for a single-season school record. The sophomore has played her best golf in the spring, racking up four Top 5 finishes over the past six tournaments. Brown earned Big Ten Golfer of the Week honors after guiding the Boilermakers to a victory at the 2025 Coach Mo Classic. She tied for third with a 3-under 213 (75-66-72) for her best finish as a Boilermaker and her lowest 54-hole total. Her second round 66 (-6) was a personal best and matched the fifth-lowest round in program history.

Valero proved to be not only one of the best freshmen in the conference, but one of the best golfers in the Big Ten by placing fourth at last week’s B1G Championships. Her three-day total of 210 (67-69-74) was the second-lowest 54-hole tally by a Boilermaker competing in the conference tournament, and it was the lowest of her career. Valero led the B1G field with 12 birdies, while ranking second in par-4 scoring (-1) throughout the week. Cracking the lineup in all 12 tournaments as a freshman, she holds a 73.79 stroke average that currently ranks as the fourth-best by a freshman in program history. Valero’s three rounds in the 60s and three Top 10 finishes rank third and fifth, respectively, by Purdue freshmen all-time. She also was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week three times this season. 

For her positive interactions with her playing competitors throughout the year, junior Ashley Kim was selected as Purdue’s Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree. The Arkansas State transfer has been in the lineup in all 12 tournaments this season, recording a 73.61 stroke average to rank third on the team. 

Purdue also finds out its destination for NCAA Regional play on Wednesday. The field will be announced on the Golf Channel at 4 p.m. ET.

First Team All-Big Ten (Alphabetical)
Tong An, Oregon
Kylie Chong, USC
Jasmine Koo, USC
Elise Lee, USC
Jen Lee, UCLA
Kacey Ly, UCLA
Nellie Ong, Ohio State
Catherine Park, USC
Kiara Romero, Oregon
Bailey Shoemaker, USC

Second Team All-Big Ten (Alphabetical)
Samantha Brown, Purdue
Madison Dabagia, Indiana
Sophie Eppelstun, Ohio State
Paula Balenzategui Garcia, Michigan State
Sophie Han, Oregon
Taylor Kehoe, Michigan State
Dianna Lee, Northwestern
Isabella McCauley, Minnesota
Mariana Mesones, Minnesota
Meghan Royal, UCLA

All-Freshman Team (Alphabetical)
Sophie Eppelstun, Ohio State
Sarah Hammett, USC
Sophie Han, Oregon
Kacey Ly, UCLA
Luana Valero, Purdue

Valero Goes Low in B1G Debut, Boilers in 4th After Round 1

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GLENDALE, Calif. – Competing in the Big Ten Championships for the first time, freshman Luana Valero fired a career-low 67 (-3) to lead Purdue Women’s Golf in the opening round of the conference tournament. Entering the event as the seventh seed, the Boilermakers (+4) sit in a tie for fourth with 36 holes left to play at Oakmont Country Club.

No. 2 USC (-3) leads the tournament, while Purdue is only two shots back of second place, shared by Illinois and Ohio State at 2-over.

Valero’s 67 was the second-best round ever by a Boilermaker in the conference tournament, just one stroke behind Maria Hernandez’s 66 at the 2008 B1G Championships. The Medellin, Colombia, native used six birdies to jump up to second on the individual leaderboard. After an opening bogey, she got the shot back with a birdie at the second. Despite a bogey at the par-3 third, the freshman remained undeterred by responding with three straight birdies. Valero made fourth consecutive pars before a deuce at No. 11, the fifth birdie of the day. Her final birdie came at No. 17, and a two-putt par at the 18th wrapped up her best round in the Old Gold and Black.

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SARASOTA, Fla. – Behind 1-under par 71s from sophomore Samantha Brown and freshman Luana Valero, Purdue Women’s Golf recorded an even-par 288 in the final round of the Spartan Sun Coast Invitational. The Boilermakers (+38) shaved 27 strokes off of their second round team score and ended the tournament in seventh place.

After the scoring average eclipsed 78 over the first two rounds at Palm Aire Country Club on Sunday, the final round scoring average dropped to 74 on Monday. Along with Brown and Valero reaching red figures, Lauren Timpf added a 72 (E), and Ashley Kim carded a 74 (+2). The even-par total as a team marked Purdue’s best final round of the 2025-26 season.

Brown produced the best finish of her career, tying for fifth with a 2-over 218 (71-76-71). The Westfield, Indiana, native played the par 5s 4-under throughout the week to rank fourth in the field in par-5 scoring. During the final round, Brown birdied three of the course’s four par 5s. With her pair of 71s, she has shot par-or-better in 11 of her 20 rounds this season to lead the Boilermakers.  

Valero matched her lowest round of the season with a 71 that featured four birdies. Back-to-back birdies on her final two holes of the tournament pushed the Purdue freshman into red figures and into the Top 25. Valero placed 23rd on the individual leaderboard at 9-over (74-80-71—225), tying the best finish of her career.

Timpf made a team-high 14 pars in the final round, countering two bogeys with a pair of birdies to lead to her even-par day. Kim birdied two par 5s and carded matching 37s to equal the field’s scoring average.

After two tournaments kicked off the spring season, the Boilermakers are finished with competition for the month of February. Up next, Purdue competes in the one-day Shootout at Wachesaw at Murrells Inlet in Byrd’s home state of South Carolina (March 9) before remaining in the state for the Briar’s Creek Invitational on Johns Island (March 16-17).

BOILERMAKERS
T-5. Samantha Brown: 71-76-71—218 (+2)
T-23. Luana Valero: 74-80-71—225 (+9)
T-31. Ashley Kim: 76-78-74—228 (+12)
T-41. Lauren Timpf: 78-81-72—229 (+13)
72. Ella Weber: 80-83-78—241 (+25)

*T-39: Michaela Headlee: 78-76-76—230 (+14)

*Competing as an individual

TEAM LEADERBOARD
1. #23 Northwestern: 294-306-284—884 (+20)
2. Oklahoma: 299-303-286—888 (+24) 
3. Ohio State: 305-303-287—895 (+31)
4. Michigan State: 308-306-284—898 (+34)
T-5. #25 Kent State: 300-315-285—900 (+36)
T-5. Maryland: 303-304-293—900 (+36)
7. Purdue: 299-315-288—902 (+38)
8. Kentucky: 296-317-294—907 (+43)
9. Michigan: 296-311-303—910 (+46)
10. College of Charleston: 302-312-298—912 (+48)
T-11. Illinois: 305-315-298—918 (+54)
T-11. Clemson: 310-316-291—918 (+54)
13. Iowa: 306-325-293—924 (+60)
14. FIU: 310-323-298—931 (+67)
15. Princeton: 319-335-298—952 (+88)

Luana Valero Named B1G Freshman of the Week

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ROSEMONT, Ill. – After ending the fall playing her best golf, Purdue’s Luana Valero was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week, the conference office announced (Oct. 23). The Purdue women’s golfer earns her first weekly accolade just five tournaments into her collegiate career.

Valero carded a career-best 218 (71-73-74) at the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational (Oct. 17-19), tying for 26th on the individual leaderboard in a field that featured six Top 25 teams. The Medellin, Colombia, native began the tournament with a career-low 71, and in the second round, she made her team-leading third eagle of the season on her way to a 73. With a 74 in the final round, Valero helped Purdue finish one shot ahead of No. 1 Wake Forest, who entered the tournament undefeated.

The freshman has made an immediate impact for the Boilermakers, cracking the lineup in all five fall tournaments. Valero holds a 74.14 stroke average, on pace to be the fifth-best stroke average by a freshman in school history.  She has recorded the team-low round three times throughout the fall, including the second round of the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational. Along her team-high three eagles, Valero ranks second in pars (155).

Valero and the Boilermakers return to competition in 2026, serving as hosts for the annual Purdue Puerto Rico Classic (Feb. 1-3).

Kim and Valero Pace Purdue on Saturday

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Ashley Kim and Lauren Valero carded 73s (+3) to pace Purdue Women’s Golf in the second round of the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel invitational. The Boilermakers struggled on Saturday, carding a 302 (+22) to slip to 10th (+24) on the leaderboard heading into the final round.

Kim made a team-high three birdies throughout the round. She started her back nine with a birdie at the 10th, and even though she made a bogey on No. 16, she got the stroke back by making a birdie on the final hole of the day. The junior fired a 1-under 35 on the back nine, hoping to carry some momentum into tomorrow.

One day after recording her lowest round as a Boilermaker with a 71, Valero matched Kim with a 73 of her own. Her round was highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 16th, her team-leading third eagle of the season. Kim and Valero are tied for 22nd on the individual leaderboard at 4-over after two rounds.

The Boilermakers have 18 holes left in the fall slate, looking to finish strong heading into the spring. Purdue will start on the back nine beginning at 8:55 a.m. ET Sunday morning, paired alongside Louisville (+27) and UNCW (+31).

Purdue Women’s Golf Returns to Windy City Collegiate Classic

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Luana Valero – Fr.

  • Ranks fourth on the team with a 74.88 stroke average

  • Has made two eagles this season, ranking second on the team

  • Last time out, tied for 23rd at the Canadian Collegiate Invitational (74-73—147), her best finish as a Boilermaker; her 73 (+1) tied for Purdue’s lowest final round

  • Tied for 28th (73-80-72—225) at the Boilermaker Classic, her collegiate debut

  • In the final round of the Boilermaker Classic, eagled the par-4 seventh

  • Rose to No. 166 in the world in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and entered Purdue ranked No. 187

  • 17 ranked prospect in the world, including No. 3 among players signed by Big Ten programs, according to Golf Channel's Brentley Romine

  • Won nine tournaments and racked up 32 Top 10 finishes over three years entering her Purdue career

  • Defended her title at the 2025 Camilo Villegas Cup

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – On National Signing Day, Purdue Director of Golf Zack Byrd announced that Ida Lindqvist (Sundsvall, Sweden) and Luana Valero (Medellin, Colombia) will join the women's golf program for the 2025-26 season. The newest Boilermakers are two of the best international golfers in the class of 2025.

Throughout program history, Purdue has been known for bringing in top talent from around the world. The tradition continued as Byrd and assistant coach Lauren Guiao went to Colombia and Sweden to sign a dynamic duo. Both Lindqvist and Valero are featured in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), with Valero becoming one of the highest ranked signees in Purdue Women's Golf history. The Golf Channel's Brentley Romine ranked Valero as the No. 17 prospect in the world, including No. 3 among players signed by Big Ten programs.

"For this class, Lauren (Guiao) and I focused on recruiting top international talent and building our worldwide recruiting pipelines for 2025 and beyond," said Byrd. "We could not be more excited to have Ida and Luana become Purdue Boilermakers. Both players bring incredibly talented resumés with them to West Lafayette. Boiler Up!"

  • Ranked No. 241 in the world at the time of her signing (World Amateur Golf Ranking)

  • No. 17 ranked prospect in the world, including No. 3 among players signed by Big Ten programs, according to Golf Channel's Brentley Romine

  • Has won eight tournaments and racked up 29 Top 10 finishes over the past two years

  • Won four of the 16 tournaments she competed in during 2024, capturing victories at the South American Championship in Uruguay, the Junior Open in Chile, the Camilo Villegas Cup and the Enrique Santos Cup in Ecuador

  • Finished seventh at the 2024 World Junior Girls Championship in Canada, one of nine Top 10s throughout her 2024 campaign

  • Recorded a 75.18 stroke average in 2023, collecting four victories throughout the year

  • Won the 2023 Colombian National Amateur

  • Led her team to the 2023 South American Championship in Bolivia

  • Claimed medalist honors at the 2023 Mariajo Uribe Cup as well as the 2023 Open De La Sabana

  • Placed 23rd at the 2023 Women's Latin America Amateur

  • Also competes in swimming and speed skating


BYRD ON VALERO
"Luana's resumé speaks for itself as one of the highest ranked signees in program history. While recruiting Luana, her fierce competitiveness was immediately apparent and fit exactly what we look for when it comes to signing new Boilermakers. Since committing, she has risen over 100 spots in the world while competing at the highest level internationally. We are extremely happy to welcome her to West Lafayette in August."  

Signing Day: Ranking the Class of 2025’s top players, classes

  

Published November 13, 2024 07:01 AM​​

The Class of 2025’s early signing period for men’s and women’s golf begins on Wednesday – and things will be a little different.

Looming roster limits will have some recruits not signing and instead scrambling for new homes while the national letter of intent has been replaced by grant-and-aid agreements that give more flexibility to the student-athletes.

It could be an early signing period full of surprises.

On the men’s side, Vanderbilt is bringing in a trio of top-25 talents, including No. 2 Michael Riebe and No. 6 Will Hartman, who at one point was arguably considered best in class. Auburn also has a deep class led by top-ranked recruit Logan Reilly. Henry Guan reclassified and will sign with Oklahoma State while Joshua Bai will enroll at Florida in January. Chase Kyes switched from Alabama to Tennessee just last month, a shocker to those in Tuscaloosa, while Sweden’s Simon Hovdal could be Texas Tech’s next international star.

Duke edged out Texas A&M for the best women’s class, as the Blue Devils plan to sign Rianne Malixi, the U.S. Women’s Amateur and U.S. Girls’ Junior champion, and Avery McCrery, who won this year’s Girls Junior PGA. Both are top-5 signings. The Aggies, though, probably have the deepest, with three of their four signings ranked in the top 13, including No. 3 Scarlet Schremmer, who had been committed to Miami, then Texas, before settling on Texas A&M. It’s always more international heavy on the women’s side, and Thailand’s Eila Galitsky (South Carolina) and Australia’s Sarah Hammett (USC) join Malixi in the top four. Galitsky is rumored to be joining the Gamecocks this spring while Hammett draws comparisons to a former Trojan from that part of the world, New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey.

Women

TOP 30 PLAYERS
1. Rianne Malixi, Duke
2. Eila Galitsky, South Carolina
3. Scarlet Schremmer, Texas A&M
4. Sarah Hammett, USC
5. Avery McCrery, Duke
6. Elizabeth Rudisill, Vanderbilt
7. Arianna Lau, Northwestern
8. Sophie Han, Oregon
9. Madison Messimer, Tennessee
10. Natalie Yen, Texas A&M
11. Pimpisa Rubrong, Arizona State
12. Chloe Kovelesky, Wake Forest
13. Brynn Kort, Texas A&M
14. Ryleigh Knaub, LSU
15. Thanana Kotchasanamanee, Princeton
16. Matilda Bjorkman, Ole Miss
17. Luana Valero Moyano, Purdue
18. Athena Yoo, UCLA
19. Kacey Ly, UCLA
20. Kathryn Ha, Vanderbilt
21. Thapasit Thitikarn, Tennessee
22. Anna Song, Stanford
23. Maye Huang, UCLA
24. Yu-Chu Chen, Oklahoma State
25. Kristina Xu, Columbia
26. Camila Zignaigo, Cal
27. Mingyu Zhang, Michigan
28. Katelyn Huber, Florida
29. Swetha Sathish, Arkansas
30. Yuuki Takada, Virginia

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