EMCC’s Lucy Lunceford set to compete in second straight NJCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championship

SCOOBA – Sophomore Lucy Lunceford will have an opportunity to close out her East Mississippi Community College playing career by participating in next week's (May 12-15) 2026 NJCAA Division II Women's Golf Championship on her home course after earning a second straight at-large selection to the upcoming national tournament.

Lunceford, a native of Tuscaloosa, Ala., received one of the remaining individual invitations by virtue of her No. 40 national ranking in the current National Collegiate Golf Rankings by Scoreboard as powered by Clippd. Set to make her return appearance at nationals after placing 38^th at last year's championship held in Iowa, Lunceford is excited to have the opportunity to finish out her EMCC golf career at Ol' Colony Golf Course in her hometown. The four-day tournament will begin on Tuesday, May 12, and continue through Friday, May 15.

"I'm super excited to go to nationals for a second time," Lunceford said. "And the fact that it is being played at my home course where my entire family and friends can come watch makes it more exciting than I could imagine."

Lunceford, a product of Northside High School, has posted five top 20 finishes in eight tournaments played during her sophomore year. Headlined by her runner-up finish in the EMCC Women's Fall Invitational at Columbus' Lion Hills to close out the fall portion of the schedule, Lunceford placed seventh in the Northeast Spring Invitational at Shiloh Ridge in Corinth. She opened the current campaign with a ninth-place finish at the Northwest Mississippi-hosted Ranger Classic held at Kirkwood National in Holly Springs.

"Lucy making nationals for a second straight year is a huge accomplishment," first-year EMCC head golf coach Mark Furnari said. "Being able to close out her playing career at her home course is a huge advantage because she's comfortable being at home with family around."

A year ago, as a freshman during EMCC's inaugural women's golf season, Lunceford placed no lower than 21^st throughout the 10 tournaments leading up to nationals, including a 13^th-place finish in the 2025 NJCAA South District Championship that secured her selection for the inaugural NJCAA Division II Women's Golf Championship. After beginning her collegiate career by claiming low medalist honors in her debut during the season-opening EMCC Invitational played at Tunica National, Lunceford finished runner-up two tournaments later in the Meridian CC-hosted Jim Redgate Invitational at Briarwood.

At last year's national championship played at Cedar Pointe Golf Club in Boone, Iowa, Lunceford made a 20-place improvement from midweek to Friday's final round to finish 38^th individually. She closed out the four-day tournament by firing rounds of 84 and 83 on the final two days to rank as the biggest mover on Friday's leaderboard after jumping 12 spots from her 50^th-place tie the previous day. Having completed last year's event with a four-round total of 351 (91-93-84-83), Lunceford entered the second half of the national tournament tied for 58^th place prior to the final two rounds.