Murr Makes More History for Cougars Women's Golf
By Brian Hiro
As a standout golfer at Los Alamitos High School, Madison Murr was widely recruited by colleges in and out of California.
Cal State San Marcos emerged as her choice in part because of the presence of Jaime Jacob, who in 2019 became the first national golf champion in Cougars history.
Six years later, Murr is now the second.
The senior joined Jacob in program annals by winning the individual component of the NCAA Division II national championship tournament in Boulder City, Nev., last Thursday.
“Jaime definitely influenced my decision to come here,” Murr said. “She had an amazing career, and watching her success was inspiring and made me want to follow her. To join Jaime as a national champion is really special.”
Murr posted scores of 69, 64 and 69 for a three-round total of 14-under 202, beating Gracie Grant of Dallas Baptist University by three strokes.
“I worked really hard during the tournament on my self-belief and remembering how great I am,” she said. “Reflecting on all my accomplishments and how hard I have worked throughout my career allowed me to believe I could win a national championship. I was able to play freely and trust that I could get it done.”
For her efforts, Murr was named the NCAA Division II PING Co-Player of the Year by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association, a program first for CSUSM. She posted a scoring average of 71.1 with five victories and eight top-two finishes this season.
Cougars golf coach Greg Hutton was especially proud of Murr’s performance after the disappointing way that her 2024 season ended. Leading the same national tournament after two rounds, she succumbed to an illness and struggled down the stretch, ultimately placing sixth.
“Maddy is relentless. She’s the hardest worker that I have ever coached and puts everything she has into every tournament she plays,” Hutton said. “I think Maddy has a tremendous belief in herself. I’m pretty sure she went into the national championship knowing and believing that she could win. Don’t get me wrong, she gets nervous just like every other girl out there, but she has this great ability to get locked in and focus on hitting one shot at a time.”
On the same day that Murr won the individual title, the Cougars secured the No. 2 seed in the eight-team match play round of the team championships. Their season ended Friday with a 4-1 loss to Central Missouri in the quarterfinals, but in the larger picture, they reached the NCAA national tournament for the third year in a row and fourth time overall.
“I can’t say enough about this entire team. What an incredible group of young women,” Hutton said. “CSUSM women’s golf is a national power. I think we legitimately have one of the best programs in the country, and producing another national champion will help us continue to be a top D-II golf program.”
After leaving a rich legacy at CSUSM, Murr will continue her golf career. She plans to turn professional this fall when she attends the LPGA Qualifying Series.
“I am extremely proud and honored to be a national champion,” she said. “I couldn’t think of a better way to end my college career.”
Media Contact
Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist
bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306