Following a historic season that saw UC Davis women's golf clinch a spot in the NCAA Regionals for the first time since 2015, Amelia Hicks-Beltran was promoted to head coach on July 1, 2025. Hicks had spent the 2025 season as interim head coach where she led the Aggies to the NCAA postseason.
Before being named the interim head women's golf coach at UC Davis ahead of the 2024 season, Hicks spent two seasons as an assistant with the Aggies.
In 2024-25 the Aggies set records and new standards under the direct tutelage of then-interim head coach Hicks. During the fall season, Elina Kuang shot a 64 (-8) first round at the Colonel Wollenberg Ptarmigan Ram Classic for the lowest single round in program history. And at that same tournament Abby Leighton shot a program record 205 (-11) for the lowest 54-hole score in Aggie history.
In the spring season, the Aggies shined under Hicks qualifying for the Lubbock Regional following a second-place finish at the Big West Championships. At the Lubbock Regionals, the Aggies nearly punched their ticket to the NCAA Championships, missing out on a sudden-death playoff by just one stroke to finish sixth.
Skyler May set the standard for the Aggies, finishing eighth overall at +2 after a third-round 69 (-3). May's final round was the fourth-best round on that day placing her amongst some of the best golfers in the nation.
Since arriving in Davis in 2021 as an assistant coach, Hicks has been instrumental in the Aggies' success, helping the team achieve a total of five top-5 tournament finishes. The highlight of her tenure came this past season when the Aggies shattered records at the Coeur d'Alene Resort Collegiate Invitational, posting a program-low team total of 845 for a 54-hole tournament. The team also recorded the second-best single-round score in program history, just one stroke shy of the record.
With Hicks on board, the Aggies showed consistent improvement each season. The 2023-24 season was particularly noteworthy, with the team securing a fourth-place finish at the Big West Championships, their highest placement since the 2020-21 season. The Aggies also achieved three top-3 finishes, a fall national ranking of 77th, and ended the season ranked 88th nationally.
Hicks' impact extends beyond team achievements as she has also been a driving force behind seven Aggies earning All-Big West League selections, which included four players named to the recent 2024 All-Big West Team. Her knack for player development is evident in the consistent performance of
Abby Leighton, who has been an All-Big West selection every season under Hicks' mentorship.
With a background as an educator, Hicks will also continue to contribute positively to the recent success of the Aggies in the classroom, having been part of the Aggie staff which has seen three players earn Women's Golf All-American Scholar Team honors during her time.
Prior to joining UC Davis, Hicks served as an Assistant Golf Professional at Del Paso Country Club, where she played a key role in leading junior clinics. Her ability to connect with and develop players has been a cornerstone of her coaching philosophy.
"After spending two years with the program as the assistant coach, I am honored and excited to contribute to the continued success of the program," said Hicks.
As a student-athlete, Hicks was a dedicated member of the Sacramento State women's golf program, competing for four seasons with the Hornets. Throughout her tenure, the Sacramento native consistently posted impressive individual scores. Notably, her career bests include a standout round of 72 during the third round of The Princess Anne Invitational (Oct. 6, 2019), a 36-hole score of 161 at the Sacramento State Invitational (March 20-21, 2017), and a 54-hole score of 228 at The Princess Anne Invitational (Oct. 4-6, 2019), the same tournament in which she posted her career-low round.
Hicks graduated from Sacramento State with a Bachelor of Arts in communication and later earned her Master's Degree in Education from National University. She is married to Kevin Beltran, and is the proud sister of Lillian Hicks and daughter of Jerry and Shelley Hicks.
What They Are Saying:
Demi Runas – Stanford Women's Golf Assistant Coach (
Former UC Davis Women's Head Coach)
"Amelia cares deeply for the players and they've built a strong bond with her over the last two years. She's played an important role in the success of the program the past couple seasons, and I'm excited to see what the future holds for the team under her guidance."
David Sutherland – Sacramento State Women's Golf Head Coach
"Amelia's greatest strengths as a coach will be her passion for teaching and her ability to forge connected relationships with the young women she will mentor. As a college golfer, Amelia was someone who brought good energy to every practice and competition. That same good energy she will now bring to UC Davis."
