University of North Carolina Athletics
Podcast: Sally Austin Q & A
June 11, 2009 | Women's Golf
June 11, 2009
CHAPEL HILL - The 2008-09 season was one the most successful in history for the North Carolina women's golf team. The Tar Heels finished seventh at this year's NCAA Championship, the highest NCAA finish in school history. Their previous best was eighth place - in 1989, 1992, 1993 (tie) and 1995.
The freshman duo of Catherine O'Donnell and Allie White was selected to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference team and named Golfweek All-America Honorable Mention. O'Donnell was selected the ACC Freshman of the Year after picking up her first collegiate win, tying for first place at last fall's Tar Heel Invitational.
Carolina was ranked 10th in the final Golfstat poll, 12th in the Golf World/NGCA (National Golf Coaches Association) Coaches Poll and 13th in the final Golfweek/Sagarin rankings. The Tar Heels carded eight top-five finishes this year and posted top-10 finishes in all 11 of their tournaments.
TarHeelBlue.com sat down with Head Coach Sally Austin as she reflected upon the Tar Heels' success this year and her career in Chapel Hill, as she is stepping down as head coach at the end of this month.
![Images from the first round of the 2026 Gators Invitational on Friday, March 6, 2026 at Mark Bostick Golf Course at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. [Photo by Matt Pendleton Photography for North Carolina Tar Heels Athletics]](https://images.sidearmdev.com/resize?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Func.sidearmsports.com%2Fimages%2F2026%2F3%2F7%2F260306-NCAAWGOLF-UNC-GatorsInvitational-0828-MattPendleton_copy.jpg&height=340&type=webp)
Players Mentioned
