WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. - Down four strokes heading into the final round of the 2026 NESCAC Championship, the Amherst women's golf team went hole-to-hole with Middlebury and Williams at the Taconic Golf Club, looking for any separation it could create.

The Mammoths finally found it on the 18th hole on Sunday -- the 54th and final hole of the tournament -- when sophomore Mekhala Costello sank a 2-foot birdie putt that not only gave the Mammoths the championship by one stroke, but also claimed the individual medalist honors for herself by a single stroke.

Amherst won the NESCAC title for the third time in program history with a team score of 901 (308-292-301). Middlebury was second at 902, and Williams finished third at 903. The three shots separating the top three teams marked the narrowest margin atop the leaderboard since the league event was adopted during the 2015-16 season.

It is the Mammoths' first conference title since they won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023. 

The Mammoths battled windy conditions all day Sunday, and were neck-and-neck with Middlebury throughout the round, the two teams trading the lead on multiple occasions. The Mammoths ultimately finished on top at 49-over par for the three days, followed by Middlebury, which finished at +50 over par. Williams finished in third, following close behind with a three-day total of +51 over par.

On the individual leaderboard, Costello won the individual title, firing a 76 for Day 3 on the par 71 course, and finished with a three-day total of +6 over par 219 (75-68-76). Tied with her Middlebury foe after 53 holes, Costello opened the 18th with a tremendous tee shot that allowed her to get on the green in two shots. She left her eagle try two feet shy but tapped in for birdie to give Amherst -- and herself -- the championship. 

As the NESCAC Champions, the Mammoths will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA DIII Women's Golf Championship set for May 19-22 at Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert, California.