Virginia alumnus Lauren Coughlin secured victory at the Scottish open with a 3-under 69 on Sunday to allow her to finish 15-under par on the tournament, four strokes better than second place. The win is Coughlin’s second LPGA Tour win of the summer after her victory at the CPKC Women’s Open in July. To add, Coughlin’s performance has earned her a spot on Team USA at the Solheim Cup, the women’s equivalent of the Ryder Cup in which the best golfers from USA and Europe compete in a team based format.

The thirty-one year old came into the final day of competition with a one-stroke lead. Coughlin began the day on the wrong foot, recording bogeys on the third and fourth holes before recovering with a pair of birdies on the the fifth and seventh holes. After that, Coughlin maintained her composure, recording three birdies in the final five holes to secure the title with 15 under. German golfer and Olympic silver medalist, Esther Henseleit trailed close behind for the majority of the day but was unable to keep up with Coughlin, finishing second at -11.

Coughlin was born in Minnesota but grew up in Chesapeake, Virginia. At Hickory High School in Chesapeake, Coughlin was the first female to record a four-year tenure on the male golf team. Coughlin’s high school career culminated with a runner-up finish at the Girls Championship of the Virginia State Golf Association in 2009 and 2010. After that, Coughlin won the Virginia Women’s Amateur in 2012 and 2013 as well. The Virginia native then went on to play at the University of Virginia from 2011 to 2016. She captured an individual ACC championship and All-American Honors in 2016. The ACC championship victory propelled her to be ranked 31st in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

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Coughlin began her professional career on the Symetra tour in 2016 before earning her first professional victory at the 2018 PHC Classic. The win led to her earning a spot in the 2018 Evian Championships, her first major. She then finished seventh at the LGPA Final Qualifying Tournament, allowing her to join the LGPA tour.

On the tour, Coughlin earned her first victory at the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open and has now followed that up with her second LPGA Tour title less than a month later.

Coughlin is married to former University of Virginia football player John Pond, who recently quit his job to serve as a caddy for his wife on the LPGA Tour.

The Hokies are a trendy pick for a lot of things this season. Whether it is to win double-digit games, make a run at the ACC title or the College Football Playoff, or have Kyron Drones as a darkhorse Heisman pick, the Hokies are getting a lot of love this preseason. Virginia Tech has a projected win total of 8.5 at most sportsbooks and Austin Mock at The Athletic says that Virginia Tech going over that win total is one of the best bets in the ACC:

“Look at any returning production or starters chart, and you’ll find Virginia Tech firmly in the top 10. The Hokies will be experienced, and combining that with a favorable schedule makes this an over play. They avoid Florida State, Louisville, SMU and NC State. They do have to travel to Miami, which will be a tough game, but circle their November 9 matchup with Clemson as a game with major playoff implications. My model ranks their defense as the stronger unit, but quarterback Kyron Drones could be a dark-horse Heisman candidate if he takes the next step. I think this team has about the same chance to win 10 games as it does to win eight.”

The Hokies are likely going to be favored in ten games this season and some of them by over a touchdown. The only games in which they might be underdogs is when they go to Miami on September and when they host Clemson in November. If Virginia Tech can win the games that they are favored in as well as splitting the matchups between Miami and Clemson, then they could find themselves in Charlotte playing for an ACC title and a spot in the College Football Playoff. There are some potential trip-up spots on their schedule though. Home games against Rutgers and Georgia Tech should not be overlooked, but the good thing is that the games are at home.

Virginia Tech could have a huge season and it begins on Aug. 31st at Vanderbilt.

With the 2024 Virginia football season less than two weeks away, let’s take a look at this year’s team from a different lens, breaking down how the Cavaliers are portrayed in EA Sports College Football 25. Here are eight facts about UVA football in EA Sports College Football 25:

Anthony Colandrea is Higher Rated Than Tony Muskett 

Although the debate rages on as to who will be the starter in week one against Richmond, EA Sports has decided to give the nod to Anthony Colandrea. Colandrea received a 78 overall rating, which includes 83 speed, 90 throw power, and 85 throwing on the run. Comparatively, Muskett received an overall rating of 76. Gavin Frakes is the third quarterback on the roster at 69 overall. 

Virginia is Tied for the Worst Rating in the ACC 

The Cavaliers received an 80 overall ranking, tying them with Duke, Georgia Tech, and Pittsburgh for the worst rating in the ACC. As for specifics, Virginia received a 78 overall offense and 74 rated defense. With Virginia picked to finish 16th or second to last in the ACC Football Preseason Poll, this news does not come as much of a surprise. 

Brian Stevens is Virginia’s No. 1 Offensive Player 

Although probable to be a center for the Cavaliers this season, in the game Brian Stevens is listed as an 88 overall at right guard, the highest rating for a Virginia player on the offensive side of the ball. Close behind is Malachi Fields at 87, followed by Chris Tyree at 81 and Drake Metcalf at 80 overall, who is expected to miss most of the season with an Achilles injury that he suffered back in the spring. The four players are Virginia’s only offensive players rated higher than 80 overall. 

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Jonas Sanker is Virginia’s Highest Rated Defensive Player 

The strong safety is Virginia’s highest-rated player at 92 overall. Sanker’s best statistics include 90 speed, 91 acceleration, 90 hit power, 95 pursuit, 93 play recognition, and 94 toughness. To add, Sanker was ranked in the Top 100 players in the game.

The second-highest player on defense is Eastern Michigan transfer Kempton Shine, an 84-rated cornerback followed by sophomore linebacker Kam Robinson at 83 overall. Robinson earned freshman All-American honors last season per On3. 

Chris Tyree Receives High Praise on Special Teams 

EA Sports is predicting a big year for Virginia’s special teams, with senior wide receiver Chris Tyree receiving a 98 overall kick return rating and 97 overall punt return rating. The Notre Dame transfer returned a kick and punt for a touchdown during his time in South Bend and will inject speed and versatility into the Cavaliers special teams unit. 

JR Wilson and Sackett Wood are Most Notably Absent

With JR Wilson not present in the game, EA has Virginia’s wide receiver core as Malachi Fields (87 overall), Chris Tyree (81 overall), and Andre Greene Jr. (79 overall) as the top three, followed by Trell Harris and Suderian Harrison both at 76 overall. At tight end, Sage Ennis and Tyler Neville are both 78 overall rated and the top two in the depth chart, with projected starter Sackett Wood not listed in the game. 

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The Hill is Empty

In EA Sports’ first release of the game, as well as the most recent update, the hill in Scott Stadium in front of the scoreboard is empty with zero fans. The features of the empty hill only include the stairs in the middle and the Seven’s Society logo on the right side if you are facing the hill from the field.

Tyler Simmons is Virginia’s Highest Rated Freshman 

Left end Tyler Simmons, a three-star recruit from Windermere, Florida, is Virginia’s highest-rated freshman at 68 overall. Behind him, wide receiver Andrew Angulo, left tackle Ben York, and free safety Keke Adams are all listed at 67 overall.

With ratings expected to be updated frequently, the fate of Virginia’s ratings in EA Sports College Football now rests in the hands of the players’ performances and results on the field, which are, of course, all that matter anyway.

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Virginia Football Projected Depth Chart 3.0: Injuries Shake Up Starting Lineup

Virginia Football Position Overview: Analyzing UVA’s Pass Catchers in 2024

What ESPN’s Matchup Predictor Indicates For All 12 Virginia Football Games 

With Xavier Brown Injury, Jack Griese is Next Man Up in Virginia RB Room