Oregon’s Anika Varma Shines at NCAA Championship
Carlsbad, CA – Oregon Ducks head coach Derek Radley was all smiles after junior Anika Varma stepped up in a high-pressure situation during the NCAA Championship at Omni La Costa. With only six tournament rounds under her belt, Varma was called upon to replace freshman Tong An, who was unable to compete due to soreness. The pressure did not faze Varma, as she delivered an impressive even-par 72 in the second round, securing the team’s low score of the day.
"To throw her in the second round of a national championship and for her to go out and do that, just awesome," Radley said. He praised Varma’s mental toughness and dedication, which have been evident throughout the season. Following her strong performance in practice, Varma won a qualifying match against teammate Darae Chung, solidifying her spot in the lineup.
Varma’s rise to the occasion was pivotal for the Ducks, placing them third overall at 1 over, just six strokes behind Stanford and one behind Northwestern. Along with Varma, teammates Suvichaya Vinijchaitham and Tiffany Huang contributed equally strong rounds, both scoring 72s.
The competition intensified as top-ranked Stanford recovered from a shaky start, shooting 10 under after an initial 5-over round. Other teams like USC and Florida State also climbed the ranks, each sitting at 3 over, while first-round leaders Vanderbilt fell to T-13 after a challenging 18-over performance.
As the NCAA Championship continues, the top eight teams will advance to match play on Tuesday, promising an exciting showdown ahead. Varma, for her part, relished the moment, stating, "I’m out here having a blast… Let’s go get it!"
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