Ashley Leonard was named head coach of the women's golf program in August 2019. The 2024-25 campaign will mark her sixth season.
In 2023-24, UNCG racked up four top-five finishes this season. The Spartans tied for second at the Elon Women's Invitational to begin the season for its best mark of the year. Under Leonard, two golfers from UNCG eventually landed in the top-15 individually at the 2024 Southern Conference Tournament at Moss Creek Gold Club in Hilton Head Island, S.C. Ava Romfo finished tied for 10th overall while Grace Holcomb checked in at a tie for 13th. For Romfo, it marked her second straight season appearing in the top 10 after previously finishing in a tie for eighth.
The 2022-23 campaign saw the Spartans total three second-place finishes in regular season tournaments, including its own Grandover Invitational in September, the Pirate Invitational hosted by East Carolina in October and then the Golfweek/AGT Intercollegiate in March. Overall, the Spartans had seven top-four finishes out of nine total tournaments throughout the year. For the first time since 2018, two UNCG golfers were named to All-Southern Conference teams. Holcomb earned a spot on the SoCon All-Conference team after leading UNCG with an average of 75.30 strokes in 23 rounds of play. Additionally, Julia Baeumken earned a spot on the SoCon All-Freshman team after averaging 75.95 strokes in 20 rounds on the season.
Leonard led the 2021-22 team to a top-five finish at the Pinetree Women's Collegiate and a sixth-place finish at the Grandover Invitational. The Spartans placed seventh at the SoCon Championship, as graduate student Tara Bettle was named to the All-Southern Conference Team and had the highest finish, tying for 17th at the championship shooting five-over 221 (73-80-77). Bettle also was selected to compete in her first NCAA Regional, traveling to Franklin, Tennessee to play at the Vanderbilt Legends Club North Course. She is the first Spartan since Fanny Cnops, who was selected in 2012 and 2013.
During the shortened 2020-21 season, Leonard led the program to three top-five team finishes, including a season-best third-place mark at the Pinehurst Women's Intercollegiate. At the same tournament, senior Tara Bettle claimed the individual title and later went on to earn All-Southern Conference team honors after finishing the season ranked third overall in the conference with a 73.59 stroke average.
The Spartans competed in just six tournaments before the 2019-20 season was ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The side was runner-up finishers at the Starmount Fall Classic, where Tara Bettle took the individual title. Bettle also grabbed an individual win during the William & Mary Kingsmill Collegiate, where the Spartans finished in a tie for fifth as a team.
Leonard spent the previous eight years with the Barton College men’s and women’s golf programs, including the last six as head coach for both teams. She also held the title of Assistant Athletic Director since 2017.
“We are excited to announce North Carolina native Ashley Leonard as our women’s golf head coach,” said Director of Athletics Kim Record. "Her Barton teams have been recognized for their sportsmanship, academic success and competitiveness and she brings a wealth of knowledge to our program."
“I am truly honored to be the next women’s golf head coach at UNCG,” Leonard said. “I would like to thank Kim Record, Tim George and Chancellor Gilliam for this incredible opportunity. I am excited to get to campus and go to work with our young ladies. They all seem very eager and ready to work. I am looking forward to the season and watching our young ladies improve everyday. I would also like to say thank you to Barton College and Athletic Director Todd Wilkinson for all of his support and leadership.”
Leading Barton To Success
During her time at Barton, Leonard guided the golf programs to nine tournament victories and 10 runner-up finishes. On the men’s side, Leonard led the team to fourth or better in the league championship four times, including three-straight runner-up finishes between 2017-2019. She was named the 2018 Conference Carolinas Coach of the Year.
In total, Leonard led 11 players to all-conference honors along with two players selected as Conference Carolinas Player of the Year and one Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year selection. Additionally, three men’s players qualified for NCAA Regionals during her time as Barton’s head coach.
Academically, Leonard had 10 players named to the Academic All-American team. The men’s team also collected the All-American Scholars team award four times (2013, 2016, 2017, 2018). The women’s team, meanwhile, was recognized by Conference Carolinas with the Spring Team Sportsmanship Award twice.
In her role as Assistant Athletic Director, Leonard assisted with day-to-day operations of the department while being tasked with securing sponsors for the Bulldog Club and reviewing financial reports.
A Decorated Golf Career
A native of North Carolina, Leonard won three-straight individual state championships between 1996-98 and finished runner-up in 1999 while at Northern Nash High School.
Leonard was a three-time All-Big East performer and was the league's Golfer of the Year in 1999 and 2000. She was the 1998 North and South Junior Champion, played in the 1999 USGA Junior Girls Championship and the 2000 USGA Women's Amateur Public Links Championship.
She was Northern Nash's 2000 Female Athlete of the Year, when she won the Triple Crown Award for Academics, Athletics and Character. She was also an AJGA Polo Junior Honorable Mention All-American in 1999.
Leonard received her B.S. in Business Administration from East Carolina in 2004.
