In with authority!

There was no shortage of confidence in the room at the Kansas women’s golf team’s selection show watch party on Wednesday afternoon, when the Jayhawks learned that they were firmly in the NCAA Regional field for the third consecutive season.

Watching together in the team room at the complex, 4th-year KU coach Lindsay Kuhle’s team found out that they were Ohio-bound roughly 23 minutes into the show on the Golf Channel.

Seeded 4th in the 12-team region — the program's highest ever regional seed — KU was one of the four teams that was highlighted on the screen when the analysts were discussing the region.

When the Jayhawk logo showed up on the screen — next to top-seeded Arkansas, No. 2 LSU and No. 3 Ohio State — Kuhle let out a loud “Wooooo!”

Shortly after that, following in-depth breakdowns out each of the top three seeds in the region, there was an audible growl in the room when it looked as if the Golf Channel analysts would not talk about Kansas.

The broadcast team didn’t go into great detail about Kuhle’s squad, which won five team titles this season and also got individual tournament victories from Lauren Clark (3) and Lily Hirst. But the Jayhawks were featured on the broadcast with a live look-in at their watch party.

Naturally, seeing themselves on the very screen they were watching produced some more cheering.

“We were really excited,” Clark said of that kind of recognition. “But I think it’s gonna be even cooler when they’re breaking down the national championship (field), when we’re right there. It’s always special to be on the Golf Channel, and I know that my family back home was watching. So, that as a little bit of behind the scenes there, but we are excited to go.”

Kansas enters regional play on the heels of one of its roughest outings of the season. KU finished 10th at last week’s Big 12 championship in Houston. But, rather than hurting their confidence, that finish merely fueled this team, which believes it’s better than that result and eager to prove it on the biggest stage.

“I think we've learned a lot (this year), especially last week at our last tournament, Big 12s,” junior Amy DeKock said. “Didn't play our best, but it was a great learning opportunity, and I think everyone is hungry to win.”

Hungry and confident.

“Very confident,” DeKock clarified. “I know the ability on this team. We've had four individual wins this season, and it's crazy and so special to see them win. It gives all of us the drive to be like, ‘Wow, we can win.’ It's very difficult, but we also know that we are a 4th seed for a reason. We're ranked 23rd for a reason.”

During Wednesday’s selection show, DeKock sat in the exact same seat she sat in to watch the same show during the past two seasons.

For each of those, DeKock sat somewhat apprehensively, nervous about the Jayhawks’ fate. On Wednesday, there were no nerves, only excitement.

“It's so surreal to see, like what we've prepared this entire year for put into place,” she said. “It was nice to sit there knowing we're definitely going.”

Now, the goal is to win it.

KU, which is making its fourth all-time appearance at an NCAA Regional — 2014, 2023 and 2024 — has bigger visions than just making it to Columbus, Ohio.

“It’s bittersweet,” Clark said of Wednesday’s selection show fun. “Last watch party I’m ever going to sit through. But extra special to be going in where we're a 4 seed. Years before, we weren't expected to move on. And this is the year we now have that expectation. We have more expectations internally of we’re going out there to make a national championship, but we’re excited. Everybody in there's now more motivated.”

NCAA Regionals, which run from May 5-7 will feature 72 teams at six regionals across the country, with the top 5 teams at each regional advancing to nationals.

KU will make its run at OSU Golf Club, a course that most of the team has very little previous knowledge and experience with, one they’ll be studying hard over the next 11 days.

— For tickets to all KU athletic events, visit kuathletics.com