Rachel Niskanen

Photo by: Mogie Adamchik

Photo by: Joe Grogan '25 - @leazier.media

Photo by: Andy Sneddon

Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw

Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw

Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Negaunee, Mich.
High School:
Negaunee

Career Average: 78.26
Career Bests:
18 Holes: 69 (BGSU Invitational at Wigwam, Feb. 10-11, 2026, Litchfield Park, Ariz.)
36 Holes: 147 (74-73, BGSU Invitational at Wigwam, Feb. 10-11, 2026, Litchfield Park, Ariz.)
54 Holes: 216 (74-73-69, BGSU Invitational at Wigwam, Feb. 10-11, 2026, Litchfield Park, Ariz.)

2025-26:
• Played in all 10 stroke-play tournaments
• Ranked second on the team with a 77.59 average
• Season scoring average ranks as fifth best in program history
• Posted three top-10 finishes
• Was CMU's first or second finisher in six tournaments
• Placed season-best fourth at CMU A-Ga-Ming Invitational (Aug. 31-Sept. 1, 2025)
• Led team with T8 finish at BGSU Invitational at Wigwam (Feb. 10-11, 2026)
• Finished T7 at Women's Fighting Irish Classic (Sept. 28, 2025); T7 tied for team best
• Named an All-American Scholar by the Women's Golf Coaches Association
• Earned Academic All-MAC honors

2024-25:
• Played in all 10 stroke-play tournaments
• Ranked third on team with 77.79 scoring average
• Posted two top-10 finishes
• Chippewas' top finisher (T11) at Mid-American Conference Championships (April 20-22)
• Finished team-best second at Bronco Fall Classic (Oct. 7-8)
• Named an All-American Scholar by the Women's Golf Coaches Association
• Earned Academic All-MAC honors
• Named Academic All-District by College Sports Communicators

2023-24:
• Ranked third on the team with a 79.2 scoring average
• Shot a career-best 72 in the final round of the A-Ga-Ming Invitational (9/4), her first collegiate tournament
• Posted two top-20 finishes in five fall events, a T18 at the Nittany Lion Invitational (9/16-17) and a T14 at the Chippewa Invitational (10/16-17)
• T14 tied for team best (with Ashley Goh and Rachel Kauflin) at Chippewa Invitational (10/16-17)
• Posted CMU's second-best finish (T21) at the MAC Championship (April 21-23), shooting 80-82-78 -- 240
• Named to Scholar All-America Team by the Women's Golf Coaches Association

High School/Junior: Two-time Upper Peninsula Division 1 state champion …. finished as runner-up in UP state tournament as a sophomore … won all but three tournaments she entered as a student-athlete at Negaunee High School … finished T11 at the American Junior Golf Association Legend at Merrill Hills in 2023 … three-time Player of the Year in the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference in golf … earned three letters in golf and two in volleyball at Negaunee High School … two-time team captain in volleyball and golf team captain as a senior … holds school volleyball records for career aces and assists in a match … two-time all-conference, all-region and Academic All-State in volleyball … earned the Sportsmanship Award on the Callaway Meijer Tour and was runner-up for Player of the Year Award in 2022 … three-time Excellence in Education Outstanding Academic Achievement … Michigan High School Athletic Association Scholar Athlete Award finalist … member of the National Honor Society … Key Club senior leader … two-time Upper Peninsula Golf Association champion.