Tacoma, Wash. - Team Washington of the USGA's U.S. National Development Program (USNDP) has announced its inaugural 24-player roster, comprised of 12 boys and 12 girls.
Players were selected by an advisory committee comprised of representatives from Washington Golf, Washington Junior Golf Association, the Pacific Northwest PGA Section and the Oregon Golf Association.
First announced by the USGA in February 2023 and launched in 2024 with seven states participating, the USNDP aims to expand, strengthen and diversify the junior golf pipeline by creating critical development, competitive and talent identification opportunities within each U.S. state for elite athletes aged 13-18.
Washington will begin fielding this roster for 2027. By 2028, all 50 states will have begun fielding a team of their own.
The following players, with their hometown and year of high school graduation included, have been selected for the 2027 edition of Team Washington:
Boys
Joseph Anderson - Eastsound (2028)
Taighan Chea - Bothell (2027)
Christian Harlow - Vancouver (2029)
Lincoln Hipp - Kirkland (2028)
Ryan Howe - Cheney (2027)
Tristan Kim - Mukilteo (2028)
Justin Krasselt - Spokane (2027)
Cormac Meinshausen - Richland (2027)
Landon Russell - Bothell (2028)
Ethan Schwan - Sammamish (2027)
Sinjin Tran - Sammamish (2029)
Jake Warwick - Walla Walla (2028)
List of Boys' playing accomplishments
Girls
Sarah Dyer - Mukilteo (2027)
Cienna Lee - Lacey (2028)
Poppy Leigh - Kirkland (2030)
Maia Miller - Snoqualmie (2027)
Chanyoung Park - Everett (2027)
Amanda Peng - Bellevue (2028)
Avery Peterson - Kent (2027)
Nicole Tang - Bellevue (2027)
Kenley Taylor - Tacoma (2027)
Ira Upadhyay - Issaquah (2029)
Niuniu Zhao - Woodinville (2028)
Isabella Zhu - Redmond (2030)
List of Girls' playing accomplishments
Players earned their way onto the team by accumulating points and demonstrating competitive performance in select 2026 events. An initial celebration is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 12 from 3 – 5 p.m. at Evergreen Golf Club in Redmond, at which players will receive golf bags and uniforms. Team Captain Mary Lou Mulflur will be present to address the team and parents, as will Jack Kelly and Lisa Johnson, the team's two coaches. A special guest speaker will also address the team. Media are welcome to attend.
"I am extremely excited to have the members of Team Washington announced so that we can get to work with this very talented group of young men and women," Mulflur said. "These players are an excellent representation of the quality of junior golf our state is producing, and I fully expect them to be the start of a long and talented list of outstanding players to come out of Washington."
Continues Mulflur, "It is absolutely our intention to help these athletes reach their goals, and all of us are excited to be part of their journey moving forward."
Adds Nate Schroeder, WA Golf Senior Director of Championships and Golf Operations, "Team Washington represents an exciting new chapter for junior golf in our state and we are thrilled to announce our inaugural team. This program creates new opportunities for these elite juniors to learn, compete and develop alongside other talented players while representing Washington. We’re proud to support these players as they pursue their ambitions in the game."
The state junior team program will focus on creating a developmentally appropriate, aspirational pathway for athletes within each state to compete at higher levels of the game. To be eligible, a player must be a U.S. citizen, cannot be enrolled in college, must be 13 years old by January 1 and have not reached his or her 19th birthday by July 19 of the year of competing on the team.
Click here for photos, FAQs and more information about Team Washington.
About the U.S. National Development Program
Launched in 2023, the mission of the USNDP is to foster future generations of American golf talent, providing a pathway to success in golf by delivering competitive opportunities, support, and training that develops American golf talent and mitigates financial burdens.