The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Women’s Golf signs Anastasia Hekkonen and Isla McDonald-O’Brien
06.08.2026 | Women's Golf
AUSTIN, Texas — University of Texas Women's Golf head coach Laura Ianello has announced the signing of Anastasia Hekkonen and Isla McDonald-O'Brien. Hekkonen played her freshman and sophomore seasons at Kentucky and McDonald-O'Brien is transferring from Arizona State after two seasons.
Hekkonen, a native of Helsinki, Finland, completed her sophomore season at Kentucky in the 2025-26 season. She led the 2025 Folds of Honor Collegiate wire-to-wire, the first collegiate championship of her career. In the first round of the tournament she carded a 6-under 66, which tied for the fourth best 18-hole round in program history. Hekkonen competed in 11 events for the season and picked up another top-10 finish with seventh place finish at the Johnnie Imes Invitational. In the 2024-25 season Hekkonen earned WGCA All-American Scholar honors and was named to the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll.
Hekkonen attended Loretto School in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she was a three-year letterwinner on its golf team. She helped her team to win at the 2023 HMC Foursomes Regional Championship snagged the 2023 Swift Tour School Championship individual title. She is described as a leader on and off the golf course, Hekkonen was named the 2023 co-captain of Loretto Golf Academy and also played on the Junior Solheim Cup circuit.
"We're thrilled to add Anastasia to the Longhorn family," Texas head coach Laura Ianello said. "She brings experience at the highest level of collegiate competition and will provide immediate depth to our roster. Having competed in the SEC and been part of winning programs, she understands the commitment and mindset required to compete for championships. We're excited to see how her experience, leadership, and competitive spirit will help us continue pursuing our goals here at Texas."
McDonald-O'Brien, a native of Shrewsbury, England, played in 13 tournaments for the Sun Devils in the 2025-26 season and registered four rounds in the 60's and 13 rounds at par or better. McDonald-O'Brien has been selected to the Curtis Cup Team for Great Britain and Ireland and will compete later this week. She shot the best individual round for Arizona State on the season after an opening 7-under 66 at the Nanea Invitational and finished T14 in the tournament. McDonald-O'Brien recorded 113 birdies to lead the team in the 2025-26 season. In her freshman season she recorded four top-five finishes with a best finish of T2 at the Match in the Desert.
McDonald-O'Brien was a member of the England Girls National Team, one of only seven to make the team. She captured the Fairhaven Trophy in 2023, her first individual stroke play win at the international level. In 2023 she competed in the World Junior Girls Championship in a field of the top amateur golfers in the world and finished 28th.
"Isla is a tremendous addition to our program, and we couldn't be happier to welcome her to Texas," Ianello said. "She comes to us with an impressive résumé and has proven herself on some of the biggest stages in amateur golf. Her experience, competitiveness, and consistency will add significant depth to our team. Being selected to compete in the Curtis Cup against Team USA is a testament to the level at which she performs, and we're excited to see her bring that experience and winning mindset to the Longhorns."
