Tsara Ralamboarison has been a consistent force on the Seattle University Women’s Golf team, regularly finishing near the top of the leaderboards throughout the 2025-26 fall golf season.
The senior has finished in the top five in her last three tournaments. She placed fifth at the Diamante Intercollegiate, shooting six under through three days, earned second place at the Seattle U Pat Lesser Harbottle Invitational, shooting two under, and took fourth at the Kalispel Invitational, shooting even par. Her recent strong performances built on an already impressive collegiate career, highlighted by the All-WAC Second Team honors, WGCA All-American Scholar recognition and numerous other achievements.
Born in Echirolles, France, Ralamboarison captained France’s U16 National Team in 2019 and competed at Southern Utah University in the 2022-23 season before joining Seattle U. Off the course, she pursues a degree in finance and is also minoring in data science.
The following is an excerpt from an interview conducted on Oct. 31. Initials indicate the speaker.
MD: Why did you choose Seattle U?
TR: I really like the city of Seattle. I really like that the weather is kind of chilly, not too sunny, not too hot. It is a big city, so that’s how I chose Seattle. I don’t mind the rain, and I think it kind of gives a charm to the city.
MD: How did you get into golf?
TR: My family wanted me to play a sport, and then my eldest brother turned out to play golf. One day, when I was eight or nine, he brought me to the golf course. From there, I really enjoyed the sport and just kept going. I think I was maybe thirteen when I did my first competitive tournament. I really liked the feeling of it.
MD: How was transitioning from France to Southern Utah to Seattle U?
TR: Before coming to the US, I thought I was doing well in English because I had good grades in English [class]. When I arrived here to the U.S., it turns out I had a very hard time communicating with native speakers. The culture and the food was very different, so for the first two weeks, I had a really hard time transitioning, but then it was fine. Transitioning from Southern Utah to Seattle, the weather was different and the people were different also. I heard people in Seattle were kind of cold, like the Seattle Freeze.
MD: What is a typical day like for you during the season?
TR: On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, we have our mandatory practice on the golf course. So I would usually wake up at 7 a.m. and get ready for my first class. Then, from about 12 p.m. to, it depends, 5 or 6 p.m., we would have practice on the golf course. After that, I would do my homework, maybe play video games.
MD: How do you prepare for a tournament both mentally and physically?
TR: So mentally, I would do a lot of visualization, so I would usually visualize myself doing well. Physically, I would say that I would focus on cardio a lot.
MD: What has been your favorite or most memorable tournament or golf moment so far?
TR: So far, it was when we won the WAC tournament as a team. That was the first time that the women’s program won the conference championship, so that was very memorable. I remember the girls were very excited and the coach was very emotional.
MD: What is it like balancing being both a student and an athlete?
TR: It’s not easy, but I wouldn’t say it’s too hard. I usually use my calendar to schedule how my day will go and do a lot of things in advance. It is very easy to fall behind with balancing practices, training, strength and conditioning, homework and exams.
MD: What are your goals for the rest of the season?
TR: I would really like to win the conference as a team and as an individual. Also focusing on the process and not the results, because if you do the work, then you won’t have to worry about the results.
MD: Do you plan to continue competing after college?
TR: My goal is to turn professional and keep playing golf after graduating. That is the goal for now. I would also like to work in the finance industry, maybe counseling one-on-one.
MD: Do you have any advice for current athletes or people who want to get into golf?
TR: Just to enjoy each moment because time flies so fast, and do not put your identity into your sports, because the result is not tied to you as a person and you are so much more.
