AUGUSTA, Ga. – The No. 15 University of North Georgia (UNG) women's golf team opened the 2025 Peach Belt Conference Championship with a stellar first round Friday at Forest Hills Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.

Hosting the conference championship for the third consecutive season, the Nighthawks are in search of their first ever PBC Championship title. They are in prime position to make history after shooting a 19-over par 307 on the first day of this year's tournament.

That score was good enough for second place on day one as UNG currently trails No. 19 Lander by a single stroke. No. 2 Flagler rests in third place at 24-over, five shots behind the Nighthawks. 

Senior Jadin Ware led the charge for UNG with a stellar first round on Friday. Ware used four birdies, three of which came on the back nine, to enter the clubhouse in second place with a 1-over 73. The senior trails Flagler's Stella Jelinek by one shot after 18 holes on Friday.

Forest Hills GC, a par-72, 6,123-yard test this year, was no match for the 2025 PBC Freshman of the Year either. Ellie Jane Riner, the top scoring freshman in the league this season, sits in sixth place on the individual leaderboard after a three-birdie, 4-over 76 on Friday.

Junior Cora Mount made room for herself as the third Nighthawk in the top 10 on Friday. She shot a 6-over 78 Friday to finish in a tie for seventh place after the first day of competition. 

Sophomore Abby Franks tied Ware for the most birdies in round one as she marked four red numbers in her 8-over round of 80 on day one. Franks sits in 16th place, just a few spots ahead of senior Ellie Rippee who is tied for 20th with 36 holes left to play in the conference championship. 

Tee times on day two of the 2025 PBC Championship will begin Saturday at 8:30 a.m. The Nighthawks will take the course starting on hole 10 at 9:30 a.m. Ware tees off in the final group of the day at 10:18 a.m.