As Quinnipiac women’s golf enters the 2025-26 season, it looks to uphold its MAAC Champions title, with a little family help.
Sisters junior Alexia Egdahl and freshman Mason Egdahl are both a part of the Bobcats roster this season, and are looking to make an impact.
Alexia and Mason grew up in Placentia, California, which is about 2,862 miles from Hamden. For most people, the jump from one coast to the other is challenging in itself for just education. Yet, the Egdahl sisters are also faced with the changes in the course as well, when competing on the East Coast.
“The courses here are tough; the Northeast is a different animal when it comes to golf,” Alexia said.
Alexia and Mason are not only on top at the course, but they also find themselves sitting in high regard in the academic landscape. During high school, both sisters graduated on the principal’s honor roll all four years at Orange Lutheran High School.
While upholding the student-athlete title, being at the top in terms of academics and sports is a tough challenge that not many are up to. However, the Egdahl sisters are.
“Yeah, I definitely think it’s difficult, especially for me,” Mason added. “I’m coming from golf and then doing around four hours of homework every single day on top of classes and everything. So it’s not easy.”
Alexia is a part of the 3+3 JD Law program at Quinnipiac, currently in her final year of her undergraduate program. On the other hand, Mason is a part of the physical therapy program.
“Our coach, John (O’Conner), puts a big emphasis on our team GPA,” Alexia said. “It’s one of his main points. He thinks having the highest team GPA at the school is just as important as winning the MAAC conference.”
Alexia and Mason are living in Connecticut, which is across the country from their hometown, but how did they end up here?
“My freshman year, I was recruited by the seniors on my team who were also from California,” Alexia said. “So it was kind of a word-of-mouth thing. I heard about the success of this team.”
The switch wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows.
“I’ve been here for over two years, but at first, it’s a culture shock coming here,” Alexia said. “You don’t fit in with the Northeast because you’re not, you’re not from here, you can’t go home every weekend. That’s difficult. But you don’t quite fit in with the international students, even though you are the same distance from home, yet they are international.”
Siblings have a way of pushing each other to new heights, even if it involves some friendly competitions along the way.
“I think it’s every older sibling. I don’t want to see Mason beat me. I really don’t,” Alexia said. “You put in a different gear when you’re competing. Like I hate to say it, Mason. I see you as a competitor; I take the last name out of it.”
It can be hard to see your sibling as an opponent in all aspects of life, whether it be in the career field or simply competing at a backyard game at a family gathering. But when it comes to competing at the highest collegiate level, it’s certainly a mindset that is required.
“Once we’re on that golf course, I have to understand it’s hard. I think we’ve both had ups and downs even in this experience,” Alexia said. “We were also high school teammates all throughout junior golf, playing against each other. It’s hard because you want to root for them, you also want to destroy them at the same time.”
As much as the older sibling never wants the younger sibling to catch up to them, that same motivation goes the opposite way for the younger sibling, constantly trying to prove they are every bit as good as their older counterpart. Yet, Mason views her older sister as someone who aids her well on the course.
“I’m a little bit more of a mellowed-out person, and I don’t get very fired up, and that has its pros to playing golf,” Mason said. “So for her, I think that when she gets a little bit more fired up, it’s like, okay, I’m getting fired up, I’m ready to play, I’m ready to compete, which is nice. And then I also think it goes the other way around.”
Siblings often have varying personalities, as you never want to be too much like your siblings, especially in your preferences and hobbies.
For two sisters at the same school, competing in the same sport, this statement holds true for the Egdahl sisters.
Alexia admitted that things were different growing up.
“(When we) were younger, I would say we weren’t the best friends or siblings,” Alexia said. “We will always be close and she’ll always be my sister, but when we were young, we got into a lot of fights. Having two different personalities, I think, was the big reason for the fights.”
Mason further added to Alexia’s thoughts, saying, “We kind of deal with things a little differently and deal with conflicts.”
“So when one’s doing one thing and the other one, it just creates bigger stuff. But I think honestly, when I decided to commit to QU, I think that’s when we started to really become close,” Mason said.
While siblings will always have their ups and downs, they’ll always find a way back to each other. For Mason and Alexia Egdahl, that may mean fighting over pars and birdies, or battling in upcoming tournaments for individual placement. However, when they come off the 18th hole, they will always be the best thing you can have in life: family.
