By Originally from Krasnogorsk, Russia, today senior Kristina Ponomareva helps lead a Long Beach State women’s golf team that is ranked top 50 in the country.
Her achievements in her home country include finishing in the top three at the Russian National Junior Tournament in 2019, which led to her recruitment into the Russian national team at the age of 13, winning the 2019 Russian Open Amateur Championship by two strokes and being runner-up at the 2016 and 2018 Russian Junior Championship.
During her time in Russia, Ponomareva said the transition to the national team was a big change.
“We had to practice much more [and] would go to Turkey and Spain during the winter time because in Russia, it was impossible to practice because of the weather,” Ponomareva said.
The experience inspired her to move to the United States for college. When LBSU reached out to her, Ponomareva appreciated the consideration and decided to commit.
“I saw girls who also played for the national team but were already older, so it motivated me and gave me the idea,” Ponomareva said.
The accessibility to the practice facilities, easy transportation from Los Angeles to Moscow and the academic programs also influenced her decision.
Ponomareva now competes for her team at LBSU, but in Russia, she competed as an individual.
“We competed against each other in the home tournaments, and here [in Long Beach], I don’t have to think about how I’m going to win or lose to my teammates,” Ponomareva said. “I want them to do their best and play good as a team and not as an individual.”
Ponomareva said her biggest achievement since coming to the United States was winning the Long Beach City Women’s Amateur Championship in 2022, where she scored a tournament record 10-under par over three rounds en route to becoming the first LBSU women’s golfer to achieve the honor.
“I was scootering from the dorms to the El Dorado Park Golf Course every day for 20 minutes and would stay on the golf course for seven hours or more,” Ponomareva said. “My name is in the hall of fame at El Dorado forever now.”
LBSU women’s golf senior Kristina Ponomareva is a two-time Academic All-Big West selection and in 2021-2022 carried a perfect 4.00 GPA. Not only does she work hard in the classroom, but she also is committed to improving her golf game, according to her head coach Alyssa Waite. Photo credit: LBSU Athletics
Despite all her success, Ponomareva did not always know golf was the sport she wanted to play.
She started to play tennis at 5-years-old, and continued for four more years but quickly became tired of the sport.
“There was a par three nine holes golf course and my mom forced me to try it, but because golf wasn’t popular in Russia, I didn’t know about it, but still went,” Ponomareva said.
After competing in a putting competition in her first practice with children who had been practicing for a while, Ponomareva decided to fully commit to golf.
She now looks forward to the spring season but wants to improve on her swing and her long game.
LBSU women’s golf head coach Alyssa Waite said that Ponomareva dedicates more time than anyone on the team.
“She and I came in together our first year in 2021, and the biggest thing that stands out is how hard she works and is truly committed to making her game better in whatever form and fashion that is,” Waite said.
Her commitment and dedication are not just traits that she applies to golf. She is also an applied mathematics major and was named to the Academic All-Big West team and a WGCA All-American Scholar in the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons thanks to her 4.00 GPA.
Waite valued Ponomareva’s balance of being a student-athlete and said that she is a great example for younger players.
“Kristina balances [her work ethic] very well, and commits a lot of time to the classroom,” Waite said. “She has the highest GPA on the team, and being an applied mathematics major, that’s extremely difficult.”
Ponomareva said she does not plan to play golf as a career, but advises athletes in international countries who want to play in the U.S. to be ready to do their best in their classes and the gym.
“It is a big risk to leave your home country,” Ponomareva said. “You cannot let yourself down or the people who support you in taking this risk down.”
