University Southern California Trojans
Photo by: Katie Chin
Kaili Xiao Signs with USC Women’s Golf
March 13, 2026 | Women's Golf
The 2025 Women’s California Open Champion will reclassify and join the Trojans in fall 2026.
LOS ANGELES — The No. 2 USC women's golf team picked up its newest addition for the class of 2026 with Kaili Xiao, head coach Justin Silverstein and the program announced Friday, March 13.
Born in Beijing and currently residing in Chino Hills, Calif., Xiao will reclassify and join the Trojans in fall 2026. She is the second signee in the Trojans' 2026 recruiting class, joining Angela Zhang, who signed on Nov. 12, 2025.
"Our staff identified Kaili as a young junior golfer who would be a perfect candidate to join the Trojan family," Head coach Justin Silverstein said. "Kaili is highly athletic and is developing at a very high rate. Her win at the Women's California Open was the best performance of her career and we can't wait to see more performances like that."
Currently ranked No. 35 in the Rolex AJGA rankings, Xiao is coming off her biggest tournament win at the 2025 Women's California State Open, a professional golf event. She has won three AJGA events — the 2024 UHY Junior Open, the 2023 Colorado Springs Junior and the 2023 Victoria Texas Preview — and also had a top-20 finish at the 2024 Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship.
Ever since she began playing golf at the age of four, the lefty has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the sport. At age 10, she became the youngest player to qualify for the Volvo National Junior Match Play Championship. In 2022, she became the youngest champion on the China Tour at the age of 13 years, 2 months and 15 days. She was also one of two 14-year-olds to play at the 2023 US Women's Open at Pebble Beach.
Xiao was raised in a family of athletes. Her father, Xiao Zhan, was a former table tennis professional and is the Deputy Head Coach of the Chinese National Table Tennis Team, while her mother, Jia Beibei, also played professional table tennis.
FOLLOW THE TROJANS
For more information on the USC women's golf team, a complete schedule, and results, please visit USCTrojans.com. Fans of the Trojans can follow the team on Instagram and on X @USCWomensGolf.
Born in Beijing and currently residing in Chino Hills, Calif., Xiao will reclassify and join the Trojans in fall 2026. She is the second signee in the Trojans' 2026 recruiting class, joining Angela Zhang, who signed on Nov. 12, 2025.
"Our staff identified Kaili as a young junior golfer who would be a perfect candidate to join the Trojan family," Head coach Justin Silverstein said. "Kaili is highly athletic and is developing at a very high rate. Her win at the Women's California Open was the best performance of her career and we can't wait to see more performances like that."
Currently ranked No. 35 in the Rolex AJGA rankings, Xiao is coming off her biggest tournament win at the 2025 Women's California State Open, a professional golf event. She has won three AJGA events — the 2024 UHY Junior Open, the 2023 Colorado Springs Junior and the 2023 Victoria Texas Preview — and also had a top-20 finish at the 2024 Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship.
Ever since she began playing golf at the age of four, the lefty has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the sport. At age 10, she became the youngest player to qualify for the Volvo National Junior Match Play Championship. In 2022, she became the youngest champion on the China Tour at the age of 13 years, 2 months and 15 days. She was also one of two 14-year-olds to play at the 2023 US Women's Open at Pebble Beach.
Xiao was raised in a family of athletes. Her father, Xiao Zhan, was a former table tennis professional and is the Deputy Head Coach of the Chinese National Table Tennis Team, while her mother, Jia Beibei, also played professional table tennis.
FOLLOW THE TROJANS
For more information on the USC women's golf team, a complete schedule, and results, please visit USCTrojans.com. Fans of the Trojans can follow the team on Instagram and on X @USCWomensGolf.
Moneyball for Golf: How the Women of Troy are on the Cutting Edge | SC Features
Wednesday, May 14
Trojans Live: Brianna Navarrosa (9/19/22)
Tuesday, September 20
