TALLAHASSEE – When the Tulane University women’s golf van crosses the state line from Louisiana into Florida on Wednesday afternoon around midday, it will be then that Andrea Kaelin knows she’s home. Home in the state of Florida, and a couple of hours later, home at Florida State University.

Florida – where she was born and raised on the First Coast near Jacksonville. Florida State — where she earned her degree in Professional Golf Management. The golf course on the campus at Florida State — where she enjoyed some of the greatest times of her life and met many of her lifelong best friends.

Kaelin and her Tulane women’s golf team will play in the 12^th Annual Florida State Match Up hosted by the Seminoles and played at the Seminole Legacy Golf Club March 21-23.

“There’s going to be a lot of emotions as we tee it up in Tallahassee this week,” Kaelin said before leaving the Tulane campus earlier this week. “It’s going to be very exciting to compete on my alumni course. It brings back memories and feelings of nostalgia. I grew a lot as a player and as a person competing at Florida State. That’s where I realized my dream and passion for coaching and decided to pursue a collegiate coaching career after graduation.”

Kaelin was instrumental in Florida State’s success during her career as a Seminole under head coach Amy Bond. During the 2011 season, she helped the Seminoles earn a fifth place finish in the ACC Championships, and to a tied for eighth place finish in the NCAA East Regional Championship at the Legends Course at LPGA International Course in Daytona Beach.

In the final round of the NCAA regional championship that year it was Kaelin who led the Seminoles with a 1 over par score of 73 – the second best single round score of her career. She carded 14 holes at par or better with a tournament high three birdies in the final round. Kaelin came within one stroke of tying her career best score of 72 which came in the third round of the fall 2010 Cougar Classic.

“Andrea really came to play today,” said Bond on the day of her final collegiate round. “She was relaxed, focused, and mentally ready to play. She grew up in this tournament.”

It was then that Kaelin knew she had a future as a coach on the collegiate level.

“I grew a lot as a player and as a person competing at Florida State,” said Kaelin. “That’s where I realized my dream and passion for coaching and decided to pursue a collegiate coaching career after graduation.”

Kaelin was named the head coach of the Tulane women’s program in 2023. She arrived at Tulane after six successful seasons at TCU, the last four coming as its associate head coach after two seasons as its assistant.

Under Kaelin’s watchful eye and coaching spirit, the Horned Frogs were at their best during the 2023 season. The team earned four top-five finishes, a third-place finish at the Big 12 Championship, a fourth-place finish in the NCAA Raleigh Regional, and a second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championship Finals. The top-five team stroke averages in program history came during Kaelin’s tenure at TCU, including a new record of 290.3 stroke per round during the 2022 season.

When the call came from Bond to invite Kaelin and the Green Wave to play in the 2025 Florida State Match Up, her response was yes with no questions asked.

“My answer was an immediate and emphatic yes when my college coach invited Tulane to play,” said Kaelin. “Coach Bond and I have maintained a close relationship through the years.”

Kaelin quickly admits that the opportunity to bring one of her teams to play at her alma mater is something that she had been hoping for a long time.

“My two favorite moments as a Florida State golfer include making my first and still only hole-in-one during a qualifying round and playing really well in the final round of regionals to put our team into a playoff for a chance to make it to the National Championship. I have to give a shout out to Hannah Thomson, one of my former teammates an assist on my hole-in-one.”

Her favorite memories of Florida State always include her coaches and teammates.

“I’ll always remember earning the Golden Nole (sponsored by the Florida State Athletics Student-Development Office ) and being awarded the Femina Perfecta (sponsored by the Seminoles Boosters), said Kaelin. Those are very important awards to me because I was recognized by both the coaching staff and my teammates and that still means everything to me.”

It’s the incredible spirit of giving that drives Kaelin to be a successful head coach.

“I always say I haven’t worked a day in my life,” said Kaelin. “I’m living my dream of being a head coach. Being able to work with young people daily to mentor, inspire and motivate is the greatest gift I could have been given.”

Kaelin has made giving back to Florida State an important part of her life as she returns each summer to campus to work the Seminoles’ summer golf camps.

“I started coming back to Florida State on a yearly basis working the summer golf camp about three or four years ago,” said Kaelin. “It’s so special to me to get back to Tallahassee each year and give a little back to the university that gave me so much.”

While bringing a team to Florida State will bring a flood of emotions to the forefront of Kaelin’s emotions, she realizes that this week’s trip is a business trip in a season full of business trips. The Green Wave recently finished second in their home tournament and were led by a freshman, Francesca Pompa, who became the first Green Wave freshman to earn medalist honors in a tournament since 2009.  

“Seminole Legacy is a great test of golf,” said Kaelin. “The generous fairways allow you to set yourself up for successful approach shots because the greens are its biggest defense. They are big and have a lot of movement to them. You want to place your ball on the correct side of the hole. And you must be disciplined when deciding to play aggressively and when to play conservatively. Pars are going to be our friend out there this week.”

The Florida State Match Up at the Seminole Legacy begins with a practice round on Thursday and each of the three rounds of the championship beginning at 8:45 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and 8:00 a.m. on Sunday. Kaelin’s Green Wave begin their practice round on Thursday at 10:20 on hole No. 1.

Admission and parking are free on each of the four days of the event.