The Washington girls’ golf team hoists the 2015 Class 4A state championship trophy during a celebration at the Washington Golf and Country Club. KCII file photo

Receiving over 10,000 votes of support, the state champion Washington girls golf team has advanced to the next round in the recent installment of America’s Best Athletic Program. USA Today High School Sports began polling for their contest in late August, and beginning November 9th the nation had their chance to vote for the best athletic programs in the states of Iowa, Illinois, and West Virginia.

The teams in the voting must have won a state title inside the last three academic years in a state sanctioned sport with the top two vote getters advancing to the next round. Washington’s girls’ golf team captured the Class 4A State Championship this past June, winning the title by 24 strokes over the rest of the field.

The voting concluded on Monday with the Demon girls’ golf team receiving the most votes of any program in the state. In two weeks, the squad inherited 10,885 votes, nearly 4,000 more than the rest of the contestants. The Iowa City Regina Regals came in a distant second, racking up 6,903 endorsements of the span.

The Demons and Regals will join 100 other high schools across the United States in the national voting round beginning May 16, 2016.