Three Illini Named to Big Ten Women's Golf Preseason Players to Watch List

ROSEMONT, Ill. - Fighting Illini seniors Brielle Mapanao, Anna Ritter, and Victoria Zheng were all named to the Big Ten Women's Golf Preseason Players to Watch List, the conference announced today.

Mapanao is in her second season with the Illini, having transferred from Western Carolina. Last season, she held a scoring average of 75.17 over 36 rounds. The Quakers Hill, New South Wales, Australia, native placed in the top 20 twice last season, with a season-best tied for 12th at the Spring Break Shootout. Mapanao began the 2025-26 season with a top-15 finish at the Wolverine Invitational.  

Ritter is in her fourth season with the Orange and Blue. Her scoring average last season of 74.03 over 33 rounds was a career best mark. In her junior year, she tallied four top 10 finishes, peaking at the Boilermaker Invitational with a career-best fourth place. The New Albany, Ohio, native is already off to a strong start this season with a tied-for-seventh-place finish at the Wolverine Invitational. 

Zheng is in her second season with the Fighting Illini, transferring from Augusta University. Last season, the Markham, Ontario, Canada, native recorded a scoring average of 73.64 over 36 rounds, second on the team. She had four top-10 finishes, the best of which came at the Big Ten Championships, where she tied for fifth, earning her All-Big Ten Tournament honors. 

The Fighting Illini continue the 2025-26 season on Sept. 14, when they head to Madison, Wis., to compete in the Badger Invitational.