The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
No. 6 Women’s Golf’s Laura Ianello named assistant coach for Palmer Cup
05.16.2025 | Women's Golf
Ianello will help lead Team USA in the Palmer Cup.
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas women's golf head coach Laura Ianello has been named an assistant coach for Team USA for the 2025 Palmer Cup. The Ryder Cup-style competition, which features men's and women's collegiate golfers from the United States versus their International counterparts, will be played June 5-7 at Congaree Golf Club in Ridgeland, S.C. USA leads the all-time series 15-12-1.
Ianello has led Texas to seven top-three team finishes, including three victories and an individual medalist, and qualified for the 2025 NCAA Championship in her first season in Austin.
The Longhorns have been led on the course by 2025 Palmer Cup participants Farah O'Keefe and Lauren Kim. Ianello was announced on the 2025 Jackie Steinmann WGCA National Coach of the Year Presented by Golf Pride Watch List on May 13. The Charleston, Ill., native was head coach at Arizona, her alma mater, the previous 14 seasons, guiding the Wildcats to the 2018 national championship and 2015 Pac-12 Championship.
Arizona qualified for the NCAA Championship nine times, becoming the nation's only program to reach the semifinals of match play each year from 2018 to 2021, and won the 2023 NCAA Raleigh Regional with Ianello at the helm.
The 2019 Pac-12 Co-Coach of the Year, Ianello's players earned 29 WGCA All-American Scholar, 24 All-Pac-12, 24 Pac-12 All-Academic Team, and nine All-American honors. As an assistant coach at Arizona (2007-10), she helped the Wildcats compile three NCAA Championship appearances, the 2010 Pac-10 Championship, and the 2010 NCAA West Regional title. While playing as a Wildcat (1998-03), Ianello was a member of the 2000 national championship team and three Pac-10 Championship teams (2000-02).
Ianello was a 2002 NGCA (now WGCA) Honorable Mention All-American, three-time All-Pac-10 selection, and was team captain in 2002-03. The 2000 U.S. Women's Amateur runner-up, Ianello competed in three U.S. Women's Opens (2001-02, 2004), the 2002 Curtis Cup, and as a Team USA member at the 2000 and 2002 World Amateur Team Championships.
About the Arnold Palmer Cup
The Arnold Palmer Cup was co-founded by Arnold Palmer and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) and began at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando, Fla., in 1997. The event is a Ryder Cup-style tournament featuring the top men's and women's university/college golfers matching the United States against a team of International players. The Palmer Cup has been played at some of the world's greatest courses, including The Old Course at St. Andrews, The Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, Baltusrol, The Honors Course, Cherry Hills, and Lahinch. Beginning with the 2018 matches at Evian Resort Golf Club, the Palmer Cup is the only major tournament that features men and women playing side-by-side as partners.
Since its inception, over 245 former Arnold Palmer Cup alumni have gone on to earn cards on the PGA, DP World, or LPGA Tours; 46 have represented Europe/International or the USA in the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup, or Solheim Cup and more than 95 have claimed over 435 victories on the PGA, DP World, LPGA, or Ladies European Tours. The United States leads the Palmer Cup series 15-12-1.
Players Mentioned
