Women’s golf has been a sport in the California Collegiate Athletic Association for five seasons. But the NCAA Division II conference has produced only one champion — Cal State San Marcos. And while the Cougars are favored to six-peat in 2025, their focus is both more national — and internal — this time around. Cal State San Marcos hosts the Fujikura Invitational next week at Shadowridge Country Club. The CCAA Championships will be April 21-23 in Santa Barbara. The NCAA West Regionals are May 5-7 in Amarillo, Texas, followed by the National Championships May 13-17. “Our goal is to win the national championship,” Madison Murr, the Cougars’ No. 1 golfer, said earlier this week. “We can’t get too carried away, but we know what we’re capable of doing.” Added No. 2 Regan Barton: “I know that when I look up and see both our names on the leaderboard the team is doing pretty well. We’re friends. If I can’t win, I want Madison to win. But we’re also competitive. We both have the ability to win.” And they both have. A two-time All-American, Murr has won three individual championships this season and eight over the past two seasons, including the 2024 NCAA Western Regionals. But Barton is the defending CCAA individual champion. The fifth-year seniors entered college together as freshmen in 2020. They will finish their collegiate careers together … perhaps as national champions. They have already completed a successful reconnaissance mission. Last October, Murr finished second and Cougars Barton and Diana Delgado tied for sixth as Cal State San Marcos won the National Preview Tournament at Boulder City, Nev. The tournament was played on the same course that will host the 2025 NCAA Division II Championships on May 13-17. “Winning the national preview was a good confidence builder,” said Murr. San Marcos has won three of the six tournaments it has entered this season. The Cougars have a runner-up finish and two third-place finishes in the other three. All six tournaments have numbered at least 14 teams. “We consider ourselves one of the best teams in the country,” said Cougars coach Greg Hutton. “And we have a chance to be the national champions.” Murr is just the leader of a deep lineup. Each of the four seniors on this season’s team — Murr, Barton, Delgado and Makenna Cabardo — were first-team All-CCAA selections last year. All were freshmen just after Cal State San Marcos suffered the biggest disappointment in program history. Led by national individual champion Jaime Jacob, the Cougars finished second in the NCAA Division II National Championships in 2019. They were favorites to win the title in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the season. “The ‘core four’ have been with me the past four seasons,” said Hutton. “And I think the memory of 2020 resonates with this team. They recognize the timing … who they are and when they are. You have to make the most of opportunities as they arise.” An already-deep CSUM lineup got deeper recently when Kiara Hernandez transferred in from Point Loma Nazarene at the semester break. “Kiara could have a big impact,” said Hutton. However, San Marcos’ success starts with Murr and Barton. “The strengths they have trickles down to everyone else on the team,” said Hotton. “They want to succeed. They have great competitive spirit and a tremendous work ethic.” The Cougars placed 10th and ninth in the past two NCAA Division II championships. They are currently ranked ninth in the nation, although they defeated most of the teams ranked ahead of them at the National Preview. “We know we’re better than that,” said Hutton. “That fuels our fire.” Murr is ranked among the top three Division II players in the country. Recently, she finished fifth in the Patriot All-America Tournament against the top Division I players. “That showed how good she really is,” said Hutton. Although they didn’t know each other before arriving simultaneously at San Marcos, Murr and Barton competed in many of the same tournaments as juniors. Barton was the golfer to beat back then. “I wasn’t highly recruited out of high school,” said Murr, a native of Los Alamitos. “The coaching here was instrumental to how I developed over the past two years. Now, I’ve done it so many times, the pressure doesn’t affect me. I have an advantage from winning.” Murr plans on attending the LPGA qualifying school next September. Barton said she is also considering taking a shot at the professional tour. “Maddie and I love competing against each other,” said Barton, who had a better junior career and often shares a past memory with Murr. “Years ago, Madison had this picture taken of her at a junior tournament,” said Barton. “We didn’t know each other then. But the picture shows her standing next to the leaderboard. And my name is on that leaderboard. We joke all the time about that picture. “It’s a great friendship. And she really pushes me.” Every week, U-T contributor Bill Center highlights one San Diego college team that’s making strides. To nominate a team, email wcenter27@gmail.com.