Meet the U.S. Curtis Cup team, which features Stanford stars Rose Zhang and Rachel Heck

The 42nd Curtis Cup is set to take place June 10-12 at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. With the event taking place in back-to-back years due to the global pandemic, fans will see many of the same faces from last year’s contest in Wales, where Team USA roared back to defeat Great Britain and Ireland, 12½-7½.

Sarah LeBrun Ingram will once again lead the Americans. The three-time U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion and Duke standout competed in three Curtis Cup Matches. She finished runner-up to Jill McGill in the 1993 U.S. Women’s Amateur at San Diego Country Club.

England’s Elaine Ratcliffe returns as captain of the GB&I squad.

The schedule for both Friday and Saturday will consist of three morning four-ball matches and three afternoon foursomes (alternate-shot) matches. On Sunday, there will be eight singles matches.

Merion Golf Club holds the record for the most USGA championships hosted by a club (19). The first U.S. Women’s Amateur was held there in 1904.

Rose Zhang, 19, Irvine, California

Stanford’s Rose Zhang wins the individual title at the 2022 NCAA Championship. (Photo: Darren Reese/Stanford)

The world No. 1 comes into her second Curtis Cup fresh off an NCAA team and individual title for Stanford and a share of 40th at the U.S. Women’s Open. Zhang posted a 4-0-1 record at the 2021 Curtis Cup. Winner of the 2020 U.S. Women’s Amateur and 2021 U.S. Girls’ Junior. Voted 2022 ANNIKA Award winner, given to the best player in women’s college golf.

Rachel Heck, 20, Memphis, Tennessee

USA Team member Rachel Heck tees off from hole six during play at the 2021 Curtis Cup at Conwy Golf Club in North Wales, United Kingdom on Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021. (Oisin Keniry/USGA)

The 2021 NCAA champion recently wrapped up her sophomore campaign for the Cardinal. Posted a 2-2-1 record at the 2021 Curtis Cup. Claimed eight titles in three semesters at Stanford, all while juggling academics and the ROTC program. When she graduates, Heck will be a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force.

The 2021 ANNIKA Award winner posted the lowest single-season scoring average of 69.72 in NCAA women’s golf history.

Jensen Castle, 21, West Columbia, South Carolina

USA team member Jensen Castle hits a drive during a practice round at the 2022 Curtis Cup at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa. on Wednesday, June 8, 2022. (Chris Keane/USGA)

Kentucky player made her Curtis Cup debut for Team USA last year after winning the 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur, defeating Yu-Chiang (Vivian) Hou, 2 and 1, in the finals. Opened the Women’s Amateur competition with a 79 in stroke play and survived a playoff to advance to match play as the 63rd seed. Defeated Curtis Cup teammate Heck in the semifinals.

Posted a 1-1-2 record in the U.S. victory over GB&I in Wales.

Latanna Stone, 20, Riverview, Florida

USA team member Latanna Stone watches her tee shot during a practice round at the 2022 Curtis Cup at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa. on Wednesday, June 8, 2022. (Chris Keane/USGA)

Finished runner-up with teammate Ingrid Lindblad at the 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur, where she stumbled down the stretch. The LSU junior helped the Tigers recently win their first SEC team title in 30 years.

Stone made history at the 2012 U.S. Women’s Amateur when she became the youngest to ever compete in the championship at the tender age of 10.

Emilia Migliaccio, 22, Cary, North Carolina

Emilia Migliaccio tees off on the fifth hole during the round of 64 at the 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Westchester Country Club in Rye, N.Y. on Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021. Photo by Darren Carroll/USGA

Now working on her Masters degree at Wake Forest, Migliaccio comes into her second Curtis Cup fresh off of commentating for feature groups at the U.S. Women’s Open. Migliaccio now frequently works for Golf Channel during amateur and college competitions as an on-course reporter and online writer. Last summer, she worked as an intern there.

Migliaccio went 2-2-0 at the Curtis Cup in Wales and is a three-time All-American at Wake. Her mother, Ulrika, played college golf at Arizona with teammate Annika Sorenstam.

Emilia won a gold medal at the 2019 Pan American games in the mixed-gender team competition with teammate Zhang.

Amari Avery, 19, Riverside, California

Amari Avery of the United States plays her stroke from the No. 1 tee during a practice round for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club, Friday, April 1, 2022.

Curtis Cup rookie recently completed her first semester of college golf at USC, winning three times, including the NCAA Stanford Regional. Became known in the golf world after appearing in the Nexflix documentary, The Short Game. Won the 2019 California Women’s Amateur.

Nicknamed “The Tigress” by her father, Avery shares much in common with her idol, Tiger Woods. Both were born on December 30 in Orange County, California. Both are African-American and Asian (Avery’s mother is Filipino). Both recorded their first ace at Heart Well Golf Course and notched their first big title at Callaway Junior World (Avery was 6; Tiger was 8.)

Rachel Kuehn, 20, Asheville, North Carolina

USA Team member Rachel Kuehn reacts to her putt on the second hole during the Foursomes match against the Great Britain and Ireland Team at the 2021 Curtis Cup at Conwy Golf Club in North Wales, United Kingdom on Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. (Oisin Keniry/USGA)

Wake Forest senior will celebrate her 21st birthday on Friday of Curtis Cup week. Clinched the Cup for the Americans in 2021 with her 2-and-1 victory over Louise Duncan in singles play. Her mother, Brenda, did the same at the 1998 Curtis Cup at Minikahda Club.

Brenda was 8 months pregnant with Rachel when she teed it up in the 2001 U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles.

Megha Ganne, 18, Holmdel, New Jersey

Megha Ganne waves to the gallery as she was awarded U.S. Open Low Amateur at the U.S. Women’s Open at The Olympic Club in San Francisco. Photo by Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

Delighted golf fans at the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open when the magnetic Ganne played her way into the final group on Sunday at The Olympic Club. She ultimately tied for 14th to earn low amateur honors.

The 2021 AJGA Girls Player of the Year will join Heck and Zhang at Stanford this fall.

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