Starting in February, the California State University, Los Angeles Golden Eagles will be featuring a new intercollegiate athletics team: women’s golf.

Valencia resident and 18-year Professional Golfers’ Association professional, Hans Kersting, will lead the Golden Eagles in their inaugural year. Kersting has significant experience in the sport as a student-athlete, professional, instructor and director of golf at the Woodland Hills Country Club.

He is looking forward to leading the Golden Eagles golfers.

“What we lack in tournament experience, we more than make up for in our strong character and work ethic,” Kersting said. “We’ll take our bumps and bruises this spring, but we couldn’t be more excited to start. This is just the beginning of something great.”

This is the first NCAA women’s golf program in the university’s history. The addition of the team benefits the California Collegiate Athletic Association by bringing the conference membership to six teams, enabling women’s golf to be a sponsored conference sport. Cal State LA will compete for CCAA honors against Chico State, Sonoma State, Cal State Monterey Bay, Cal State East Bay and Cal State San Marcos.

Junior Angelica Pena and first-year students Yi Yi Huang, Paola Pazos, Shamayah Revis and Adrianna Rubio make up the team’s initial roster. The players recently volunteered their time at a Latina Golfers Association event where they gave lessons and met with Ladies Professional Golf Association champion and tour player, Lizette Salas.

The Golden Eagles golfers begin their season on Feb. 5 in San Diego at the Point Loma Reach 2018 Invitational.

“We are excited about the new program and look forward to competing in conference play,” said Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Daryl Gross.

In support of the university’s athletics program, Cal State LA will host the Golden Eagles Golf Tournament at Calabasas Country Club on April 9. For more information about the tournament, call (323) 343-3080 or email Kersting at hkersti@calstatela.edu.

Photo: Left to right, Yi Yi Huang, Angelica Pena, Paola Pazos, LPGA Champion and Tour Player Lizette Salas, Adrianna Rubio and Shamayah Revis at a Latina Golfers Association event on Dec. 2. (Credit: Latina Golfers Association)