PROVO, Utah — BYU women’s golf head coach Carrie Roberts has announced the signing of Lilly DeNunzio and Maria Barragan who will join the Cougar program for the 2023-24 season.
“I am very excited about Lilly and Maria joining our program,” said Roberts. “I love Lilly’s competitive fire and Maria is so well rounded that together they are going to be a real force to be reckoned with.”
In her high school career, DeNunzio won the 2022 Nevada 5A Southern Region title and was part of two 5A state championship runs with Coronado High School. She also took home medalist honors at the Toyota Tour Cup at Monterey Country Club after shooting 5-under-par to win by five shots.
“I am thrilled to have Lily on our team next year,” said BYU assistant coach Lea Garner. “She is such a hard worker, a perfect fit for our team and will make an immediate impact as we move into the Big 12 next season.”
The rising freshman earned six top-25 finishes in seven events on the American Junior Golf Association Tour including three top-10s. The product of Henderson, Nevada, shot 71-70-77—218 to finish seventh at the CORE Pacific Advisors Open honoring Doug Morehead, fired rounds of 76-74-75 for a 10th place finish at the Ping An Bank Junior Championship and finished third at the Mizuno Junior at Big Sky after rounds of 73-69-69—225.
Barragan hails from Morelia, Mexico and will join the Cougars after completing her senior year at Prepa Anahuac. The soon-to-be freshman is the 32nd ranked junior in Mexico and earned two top-10 finishes during the 2022 campaign.
She finished runner-up at the 12th Copa Zona Centro with rounds of 72-69-72—213 as well as earning a fourth-place finish at the 3rd Copa Norte by shooting 70-75-75—220. Barragan also carded an even-par 70 at Woodhill Country Club to win the qualifier to compete in the U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship.
“The Big 12 is an amazing conference for women’s golf,” said Roberts. “We are looking to compete right away in the new conference and we are very excited to have both of them along for the ride.”