Gustavus Adolphus College

A key player in the Gustavus women’s golf program’s rise to national prominence in the early 2000s, Alicia Golembeski qualified individually for the NCAA National Tournament in 2002 and started a streak of 11 consecutive years of Gusties in the national tournament. Described by her teammates as quiet and kind off the course, Golembeski turned into a focused and intense competitor on the links, which helped her thrive as the Gusties’ #1 golfer from 1998 to 2002. Her dedication to the game and strong work ethic allowed her to become a strong all-around player with particular expertise off the tee and in her short game. Golembeski earned All-Conference honors all four seasons, placing in the top five at the MIAC Championships each year. After taking fifth place at the conference meet her rookie season, Golembeski improved to fourth place in 1999, second in 2000, and culminated with a MIAC individual championship her senior year. In the history of Gustavus women’s golf, Golembeski is one of only three Gusties to have earned All-Conference honors all four seasons. She saved her best performance for last, becoming the program’s second NGCA All-American in the spring of 2002 at the NCAA Championships, finishing fourth place among all Division III competitors.

A magna cum laude graduate in 2002, Golembeski was a mathematics major who was named to the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa honor fraternity. She moved to Boulder, Colorado to pursue a doctorate in mathematics at the University of Colorado. While hiking near Great Sand Dunes National Park in the summer of 2006, Golembeski was struck by a falling rock and tragically killed. The only child of Rich and Lana Golembeski, Alicia is remembered for her soft smile, warm heart, keen intellect, and genuine love for the game of golf.