Avery Thompson steps up as a leader for women’s golf

With a roster featuring four newcomers and a majority of freshmen and sophomores, the women's golf team at William & Mary needed one of its upperclassmen to step up and lead. No ceremony was held, but that someone turned out to be 20-year-old junior Avery Thompson.

Ready or not.

"I didn't ask for this, but I had to step in and take control of a lot of things," said Thompson, the Tribe's most experienced player heading into this weekend's CAA Championship. "I'm learning in the process, but it's making me better and teaching me a lot.

"Things have definitely changed. We've played a bigger role in determining practice and what we wear and talking with all the (team) members about what they're comfortable with. But I think it's made all of us closer, too."

Looking back, Thompson credits former teammate Mimi Taylor for being a role model.

"She was a senior when I was a freshman," Thompson said. "She's been one of my biggest influences in leadership, golf and just how to be a good teammate."

Thompson said she has gotten plenty of assistance from classmate Simone Senk.

William & Mary interim Director of Golf Tim Pemberton '05 said Thompson stepping up has been a huge plus for the women's program.

"She leads by example," he said. "She's somewhat quiet, but on the course, the way she prepares and practices, she definitely sets a good example for the younger players. She's got a lot going on and manages her time really well."

In addition to playing golf and majoring in accounting, Thompson also is in her first year in the ROTC program.

She signed her contract last semester and is on an accelerated path. This summer, she will attend Advanced Camp, a 35-day training exercise, in Fort Knox, Ky. After graduation, she will commission as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserves.

"I'll have a civilian job, I'm assuming something in accounting, 9-to-5, five days a week," said Thompson, who was born and raised in Houston. "The reserves commitment is one weekend a month and then I'll have to do training over the summer. I do that for eight years.

"I went to basic camp with no commitment and I really liked it because it fits my personality. I like being outside and I'm a very active person."

On the course, after a rough fall, Thompson is having her best season. If it holds, her average of 78.35 would be a career low.

Two weeks ago, she had a personal-best round in the Kingsmill Intercollegiate. With birdies on 1, 5, 11, 12 and 18, she shot a 2-under 70 on the River Course. She still finished tied for 11th in a field of 65 at 9-over.

"My short game was really good that day," she said. "I've never been particularly good at putting, but on that particular day, my putting was really on point. So I was able to make a lot of birdies, which I don't normally do.

"It taught me the short game is a lot more important than you think. And it gave me a lot of confidence, because I had been working on my putting stroke. I think I've gotten it to a better place where I can be more consistent."

Thompson began playing golf when she was 6 years old, and much of it was individual tournaments. She prefers what she has at William & Mary.

"The one thing I don't like about golf is that it's really individualistic," she said. "You go out there and it's you against you. But playing in college makes it feel like a team sport, which I really like."

Thompson also looks forward to having one more year in the program.

"The journey this team has been on just in the last year … so much has happened, and we're in a much better place now," she said. "I've been here three years and every year has been a little bit different. I enjoy being on the team so much more because we're on the rise."

This article was originally published as a Tribe Scribe on April 10, 2025 in the Women’s Golf section on Tribe Athletics, under the title: Avery Thompson steps up as a leader for women’s golf by Dave Johnson.