Jane Hopkinson-Wood Named WGCA Southeast Region Coach of the Year

By Brian Laubscher
May 26, 2026

Jane Hopkinson-Wood, head women's golf coach at Washington and Lee University, has been selected as the 2026 Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) Division III Southeast Region Coach of the Year.

Hopkinson-Wood secured the honor after leading the Generals to a program-best fourth-place finish at the NCAA Division III Championship held May 19-22 at the Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert, California. W&L carded a team score of 292-296-294-292 - 1,174 (+22), also a program-best in the NCAA Championship. Individually, Toral Bhatt '29 tied for 16th overall with a 69-72-82-70 - 293 (+5).

W&L completed the season finishing eighth or better in every tournament in which it competed, with four golfers earning All-ODAC accolades following the season. Bhatt was selected as the ODAC Rookie of the Year, while she and Berkeley Bundy '28 added all-region honors as well.

Hopkinson-Wood has guided W&L to the NCAA Tournament all three of her years at the helm, claiming ODAC titles in both 2024 and 2025. Before arriving at W&L, she was the head golf coach at Centre College, leading the Colonels to a pair of Top 10 finishes at the NCAA Championship, including a sixth-place finish in 2021. She was a three-time Southern Athletic Association Coach of the Year awardee.

A four-time All-American as a collegiate player, Hopkinson-Wood graduated from Wittenberg University with a Bachelor of Science in marketing and sports management.

If you know a W&L faculty member who has done great, accolade-worthy things, tell us about them! Nominate them for an accolade.