Driving the comeback of Stingers women’s golf

When the Concordia Stingers women’s golf team returned to the course after a seven-year absence, captain Sophia Luponio was ready to lead the charge. A student in Concordia’s Recreation and Leisure Studies program, Luponio has found the perfect intersection between classroom learning and a lifelong love of sport.

A multi-sport athlete in soccer, hockey and rugby, she discovered golf through her brother. Over the past five years, she honed her game at Beaconsfield Golf Club in Pointe-Claire, Que., building not only technical skill but also the confidence and relationships that would help her revive a program.

That revival became possible thanks to donor support, which relaunched both the women’s and men’s Stingers golf programs last year.

Luponio stepped up as captain, guiding the women’s squad through all three RSEQ tournaments in the 2025 season and reestablishing Concordia’s competitive presence in Quebec university sport. Her counterpart, Stingers men’s golf captain Sacha Riverin, also played a key role in the effort.

“We are so grateful for this support,” she says. “It takes so much stress off. Not having to worry about paying for gear, registration, travel or food makes a huge difference. It allows us to focus on competing.”

While building a competitive program matters, Luponio is equally driven by the opportunity to strengthen community and visibility for women in athletics.

“I love women’s sports — I could talk about it all day,” she says with a laugh. Her teammates play a central role in this commitment.

“Honestly, my teammates are my best friends. I have so much fun with these girls, and mentoring other women in the sports world is such a passion of mine.”

After graduation, Luponio hopes to build a career in sports management, whether with a major-league organization or helping grow women’s professional sport.

“I hope to work in the National Football League or National Hockey League, with Montreal’s Professional Women’s Hockey League team, or even on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour. That would be an absolute dream.”

What she’s building at Concordia — leadership, resilience and community — is laying the foundation.