Carnegie Mellon Women’s Golf Team Visits White House After Championship Win
The Carnegie Mellon University women’s golf team(opens in new window) took part in the second annual White House College Champions Day celebration in the nation’s capital on Monday.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden extended invitations to NCAA teams from all three divisions that won national championships during the 2023-24 academic year. The event took place on the South Lawn at the White House with over 1,000 student athletes in attendance. Prior to the recognition the student-athletes were invited to a White House tour.
Vice President Kamala Harris, NCAA Senior Vice President of Championships Lynda Tealer and Florida State University women’s soccer player Jordynn Dudley addressed the championship teams.
The University Athletic Association (UAA) was well represented at the event, which included Carnegie Mellon women’s golf, Emory University men’s swimming and diving, New York University women’s basketball, University of Chicago men’s and women’s tennis and Washington University in St. Louis women’s outdoor track and field.
This May, the CMU women’s golf team won the first NCAA Division III Championship for any women’s program in university history.
The Tartans had seven members of the team present at the White House alongside Head Coach Dan Rodgers and Assistant Coach Jason Li.
“The White House visit was truly a once in a lifetime experience,” said Li. “Getting to walk through the White House and learn about the place was truly special. Really capped off a great season with a memorable celebration.”
Rising sophomore Nikita Jadhav(opens in new window) praised the memorable experience.
“I feel incredibly grateful to have been invited to the White House by the President. The tour of the grounds and Vice President Harris’ speech were both unforgettable experiences that will stay with me forever,” Jadhav said. “It was deeply meaningful to see our hard work as a team acknowledged and to be among such talented student athletes. This experience was the perfect end to an amazing first year with the best team and coaching staff I could ask for.”