Everyone’s chasing Ramstein on the golf courses

One question has befuddled the DODEA-Europe golf scene for most of this decade: Can anybody stop the Ramstein boys after what is now five straight team titles?

Now, that same inquiry can be asked about the Royal girls as well.

Ramstein took the girls crown away from crosstown rival Kaiserslautern in 2025, and the squad is in the running to claim a second straight title when the European championships convene Oct. 7-8 at Woodlawn Golf Course on Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

The team is missing last year’s individual champion, Nora Hacker, but has plenty of depth to run it back.

The boys, meanwhile, reload again and are the favorite to retain the team championship as well as the individual one, which a Royal has won for the past three years. That includes last year’s winner, Michael Schmiedel.

That doesn’t mean the rest of the field is going to hand to them, however.

Golfers from Lakenheath, Wiesbaden and elsewhere have their sights set on bringing silverware back with them.

All will be known within the next month of competition.

Here’s a team-by-team look, based off responses from coaches around Europe:

Alconbury

The Dragons technically don’t have a team, but they will be represented on the links this fall.

Olivia Ferdinandsen transferred from Kaiserslautern, where she qualified for Euros last year. The junior placed sixth with 24 points on the modified Stableford scoring system that awards points based off the number of strokes on each hole.

Because Alconbury doesn’t have a program, Ferdinandsen has been practicing with the Lakenheath team. Lancer coach Grant Severts has praised her and the dynamic she brings to the course.

Black Forest Academy

The Falcons have been shut out of the last two European meets, but second-year coach John Witty has high hope his small but steadfast team will have a few make the championships this fall.

One who is highly motivated this campaign is Jack Witty. The senior missed the cut by one point a year ago.

Fellow seniors Isaiah Pelton and Titus Groce round out the program’s veterans.

Sophomore Jiwoo Lee represents the Falcons on the girls side, while freshman Eben Nkangi joins the veteran trio for the boys squad.

Hohenfels

The Tigers’ program keeps growing, with coach Stephanie Schnabel pointing to four new members joining the squad.

Junior Dane Wilds transferred to the school ahead of this season, while junior Joey Dreger steps off the soccer field to hit on golf courses this fall. Freshmen Archie Stewart and Brett Ogata also came out for the team.

Leading them is Paxton Roach. The sophomore qualified for Euros as a freshman and tied for 12th place with 43. He will be looking to improve upon his scores in 2026.

Kaiserslautern

Longtime coach Andrew Dager and co-coach Matt Johnson have a rebuild on their hands.

Gone are the names that created a dynasty on the girls side, while the boys squad also has been hit hard by roster turnover. In fact, just two girls and two boys return with experience this fall.

For the girls, Mackenzie Dager made great strides in 2025, more than doubling her 2024 Euros score last October to place fourth individually. The senior will be seeking to make another leap in her last rodeo.

Junior Olivia Ilkka also brings a veteran’s presence, having tied for eighth place at Euros.

For the boys, senior Wesley Manson and sophomore David McAdams made it to Euros a year ago. McAdams tied for seventh place with 49 points, while Manson took 19th with 32 points.

Lakenheath

The Lancers have experienced a huge influx of players joining the squad for the 2026 campaign.

Combined with the returners focusing on their game in the offseason, Severts said the Lakenheath squad hopes to have more success and advance more golfers to Woodlawn Golf Course in October.

Tyler Korell has his eyes set on a rebound season and pushing Schmiedel for the podium’s top spot.

The junior lost the individual title on two playoff holes as a freshman at Stuttgart. He struggled in the first round at Euros as a sophomore before a huge second-round comeback shot him into fourth place.

Other returners are juniors Cristabelle Avalos and Damarius Bain, senior Ethan Kunz and sophomore William Taylor. Severts described the golfers as motivated to improve from last year.

For the girls, senior Kaysie Hendricks and sophomore Nina Houzouris are back.

New to the Lancers are seniors Rylee Bond, Eddie Conrad, Harper Doane, Christian Robinson-Liggins and Kiarra Taylor; juniors Jaylee Bradshaw, Leslie-Marie Galbraith, Owen Keup and Jayden Weber; and freshman Landon Gomes.

Naples

Coach Christopher Storey has called this a learning year for the Wildcats. They have four underclassmen and lack any seniors.

Naples can bank on the experience of three juniors. Parker Langton took 18th place at last year’s Euros with 34 points and will look to take a step forward this fall. Daria Munz and Jayden Ferguson will try to join him this time around.

New to the team are sophomore Channing Hamp and freshmen Gabriel Hord, Riley Chamberlin and Grady Langton.

Ramstein

Yet again the Royals are a force with which to be reckoned.

Under second-year coach Greg Hewitt, Ramstein has a good mix of experience and exciting youngsters to push for more trophies.

For the boys, it’s hard to look past Schmiedel. The team captain is fresh off a dominating sophomore campaign in which he posted the best qualifying score and then won the European tournament.

Schmiedel will set the tone along with Kaydyn Wright. The freshman phenom showed his potential by matching his older teammate during the team qualifying tournament and will push Europe’s best throughout the season.

For the girls, team captain Mya Boynton is coming off a runner-up finish individually, and the senior’s poise and skill could see her take that next step up the podium.

Sophomore Brianna Boswell also brings back European experience for the Royals. She placed fifth in 2025.

Spangdahlem

The Sentinels are building the basics while hoping to advance one to three golfers to Euros, according to coach Douglas Whitehouse.

Spangdahlem has two returners in senior Taelyn Dean and junior Caleb Harrell. Sophomore Blake Suder and freshman Hendrix Stewart transferred to the school, while juniors Yelena Dungca, Kristianne Colley and Jessica Cooper are new to the squad.

Vilseck

Coach Richard Ritter has an extremely young and inexperienced squad with 11 freshmen who mostly are novices to the sport.

The Falcons do have three veterans in Dominick Valadez, James Skalecki and Scott Butler. Ritter said they have worked on developing their skills in the hope they can make it to Ramstein Air Base at the end of the season.

Wiesbaden

Coach Angelique Hall said the No. 1 priority for the Warriors this year is to create a lifelong love of golf for the newcomers, while the returners will press for postseason competition.

Janine Buenaobra enters her sophomore campaign off a third-place finish in 2025. She played in the top grouping over both rounds, so she has experience playing in pressure situations.

Other Wiesbaden veterans are senior Sebastian Trujillo, junior Chloe White and senior Liam Ek.

New to the team are senior Canyon Hunter; juniors Ryan Egan, Estrellita Richardson and Riley Walters; sophomores Emeric Schwartz, Evelyn Crosby, Isabella Blake and Elizabeth Rechkemmer; and freshmen Timothy Herman, Aiden White, Patrick Laase and Ivy Bangerter.