Chambana Sun

Illinois women's golf has announced the addition of Lisa Copeland to its 2026-27 roster. Head coach Renee Slone confirmed Copeland's signing on Friday morning. Copeland, who is from Naperville, Illinois, will join the Fighting Illini after a junior career that includes several notable achievements.

Copeland's recent accolades include being named to the 2025 Rolex Scholastic Junior All-America team and receiving recognition from the 2025 College Board National Recognition Program. She was runner-up at the 2025 AJGA New Orleans Classic and won both the 2024 AJGA Discover Puerto Rico Junior Championship and the 2022 Medinah Invitational. In 2021, she became the youngest player in Illinois history to qualify for the Girls Junior PGA Championship.

In a statement about her decision, Copeland said: "Before even getting to Illinois, I really felt a connection to Coach Slone and Coach Pina, because they watched me at tournaments throughout my junior career. During my official visit, I was impressed by their knowledge and dedication to the players, and I am excited to learn from them and work at getting better everyday. Academics are also very important to me and Illinois is a great institution. Illinois having one of the best on-campus practice facilities was the icing on the cake."

Coach Slone shared her perspective on Copeland's recruitment: "We first saw Lisa compete when she was just ten years old!  It has been so fun to follow her progress and watch her grow and develop as a player and a person.  She has had outstanding coaching leading to a well-developed golf IQ and an arsenal of shots that enable her to score from anywhere."