When the 2026-27 academic year opens, St. Bonaventure University will add its 20th NCAA Division I program as Bonnies Women's Golf tees it up for the first time.

This past June, St. Bonaventure University Vice President and Director of Athletics Bob Beretta hired Patrick Damore as the program's first Director of Golf. Damore will oversee the development of both the men's and women's programs, joining longtime assistant coach and fellow PGA professional Dwayne Randall. The program will add another assistant coach before next fall. 

Damore quickly pointed out that he's thrilled to have an opportunity to coach a new women's program.

"I'm really excited for the women's program," Damore said. "This is the first time St. Bonaventure has had a girls' program in a while, and it's the first time the women's program is Division I. I'm looking forward to seeing how we do in the next three or four years."

Damore also emphasized the opportunities the first Bonnies women's golfers will have right off the bat. 

"It's a huge opportunity, and it's one of my selling points," Damore said. "When (the first recruits for the program) step foot on campus next year, they will have three PGA professionals as coaches, and I'm not sure many universities can say the same. Secondly, they will get immediate playing time. You don't get better sitting on the bench, and you want to go to a spot where you'll have an opportunity to play for all four years… and they'll always be regarded as the first five or six girls in the history of the Division I program."

St. Bonaventure will play in the Atlantic 10 Conference when it begins competition next year. The A-10 hosted its first Women's Golf Championship in 2025 with Richmond, Dayton, Loyola Chicago, Duquesne, La Salle and Saint Joseph's already sponsoring the sport as league members.

The Bonnies women's golf program had three student-athletes commit to join the program and become its first members during the early signing period: Caitrin Coyle from Akron, Ohio, Josephine Phillips from Gambrills, Maryland, and Lizzie Noel from Fayetteville, N.Y.

When it comes to recruiting, Damore plans to lean on the connections he made as a PGA professional to get the right players to St. Bonaventure.

"My background where I'm from is favorable," Damore said. "I'm from Western Pennsylvania; there's a lot of talent there, and I know the landscape. I'm one of 200 PGA professionals in the region, and [other professionals] help me by saying 'hey, there's a girl over there and over here.'" 

Although it's still early in the construction process of the women's program, Damore has high hopes for the team in the future. 

"If we can get the right girls on the team next fall, I don't think we're going to be any worse than middle of the pack in the Atlantic 10 right out of the gate," Damore said. "I'm confident we will be very competitive."

To follow the program, join the new Bonnies Women's Golf social media accounts @BonniesWGolf on X and @BonniesWGolf on Instagram.