TUCSON, Ariz. – With a Wildcat pedigree that includes a national championship as a student-athlete and coach at the University of Arizona, head women's golf coach Laura Ianello has agreed to a contract extension to remain at the helm of the program through 2028.

"Laura Ianello has proven to be one of the nation's elite golf coaches," said Vice President and Director of Athletics Dave Heeke. "As a national champion as a player and head coach at her alma mater, Laura's career at the University of Arizona has been defined by championship excellence. Our women's golf program distinguishes itself by raising and meeting a championship standard. Under her guidance, Arizona Women's Golf continues to be a point of pride by competing for national championships, elite academic achievements and developing student-athletes into future professionals and community leaders. Laura is a Wildcat for Life, and I am excited to see the program achieve more greatness in the future."

Arizona Women's Golf won the NCAA Raleigh Regional championship in May to advance to the NCAA Championships for a ninth time in 12 seasons under Ianello's leadership. The Wildcats finished their run at the NCAA Championships in the top 10 as freshman Nena Wongthanavimok became the fourth Arizona freshman in program history to post a top-10 finish in stroke play. The 2022-23 season also saw the Wildcats' head coach earn a finalist spot on the WGCA's National Coach of the Year watchlist.

"Coaching at the University of Arizona is a tremendous honor for me, and I would like to thank Dave Heeke, and our sport supervisor Brent Blaylock, as well as the rest of our administration for supporting and believing in my leadership of this program that is near and dear to my heart. I want to continue to build upon the championship standard of excellence that Arizona Women's Golf represents. I am also excited for the future of Arizona men's and women's golf with the building of the William M. "Bill" Clements Golf Center to be completed in the spring, which will be a gamechanger for our programs. I remain committed to recruiting and developing future generations of outstanding young women who wear the Block A with pride and excel as golfers, students and members of our community. The support and belief that I receive from our administration is unmatched and I'm truly grateful to coach at such an amazing university."

The program officially broke ground on its new $14.8 million William M. "Bill" Clements Golf Center at Tucson Country Club in May, which will be the official home facility of Arizona's women's and men's golf programs. The Clements Golf Center is scheduled to open in Spring of 2024.

Ianello, a two-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year, has continued Arizona Women's Golf's standard of excellence since taking over as head coach prior to the 2010-11 season. Arizona's dominant postseason runs with Ianello at the helm are hallmarked by the Wildcats' thrilling victory of the 2018 NCAA national championship in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The championship consistency of Arizona Women's Golf over the last 13 seasons also includes finishing in the top third in every season but one at the Pac-12 Championships, which includes the 2015 conference title. Wildcat golfers have earned All-American honors on 17 different occasions during Ianello's tenure with Vivian Hou being named the National Freshman of the Year in 2020 as well. The conference accolades are also impressive with Arizona student-athletes earning all-Pac-12 honors 29 times. The program has been among the nation's most represented at the prestigious Augusta National Women's Amateur with seven Wildcats participating in the event that debuted in 2019.

For all the success on the course, Arizona Women's Golf has earned an equal number of academic accolades. The program boasts 29 WGCA Scholar All-Americans during Ianello's career as head coach with 40 student-athletes earning academic conference honors from the Pac-12 as well. The program also boasts a Pac-12 Women's Golf Scholar Athlete of the Year, which Wanasa Zhou won in 2017.

A native of Charleston, Illinois, Ianello was a member of the Arizona Women's Golf program from 1999 to 2003. Her collegiate career saw Arizona win the 2000 NCAA national championship as well as three consecutive Pac-10 titles from 2001 to 2003. She also played in the 2001, 2002 and 2004 U.S. Women's Open, the 2002 Curtis Cup and represented the U.S. at the 2000 and 2002 World Amateur Championship.