Brown in Fifth at Big 12 Championships

Austin, Texas - Freshman Elli Brown moved into a tie for fifth place individually, but the Nebraska women's golf team struggled in the second round of the Big 12 Conference Championships at the University of Texas on Saturday, finishing with a 324 to close the second round at 629 over the first 36 holes.  The Huskers slipped from a tie for third at the close of the first round into seventh place heading into Sunday's final round.

Nebraska Coach Robin Krapfl said the Huskers battled throughout the day but could never find their grooves in Austin.

"Obviously we did not play very well today," Krapfl said.  "Basically it was everyone from top to bottom in our lineup, with the exception of Elli Brown, who finished really strong.  We just need to come back out tomorrow and see how high we can climb on the leaderboard and try to finish strong."

Brown, a true freshman from Meridian, Idaho, finished the second round at two-under par over the final eight holes to close the round with a five-over par 77.  Although that was three strokes off the pace of her opening-round 74 on Friday, Brown still climbed two spots on the leaderboard at the end of the second round and enters the third and final day of competition in a tie for fifth place individually. 

Brown's 151 total is 10 strokes behind the pace set by leader Annie Thurman-Young from Oklahoma State, who enters the third round with a three-under par at 141, after putting together rounds of 70 and 71 on the first two days of competition. Although Brown is 10 strokes behind Thurman-Young, she is just three strokes behind Texas' Perry Swenson (148) in second place.

Thurman-Young's strong round helped the Cowgirls remain in first place by the narrowest of margins.  OSU enters the third round at 602 after rounds of 295 and 307.  Texas gained one stroke on the Cowgirls by finishing at 306 on Saturday to close day two at 603, just one stroke out of first place.

Baylor and Missouri are tied for third, 17 strokes behind the Cowgirls at 619, while Texas A&M (626) and Texas Tech (628) sit right in front of the Huskers (629) on the team leaderboard.

Brown was the lone Husker to shoot in the 70s on Saturday, as senior Merynn Ito and junior Sara Sackett both managed scores of 82, while sophomore Chrissie McArdle and junior Jackie Beste each added scores of 83.

The tournament concludes with the final 18 holes on Sunday beginning at 8 a.m. on the 6,323-yard, par-72 layout of The University of Texas Golf Course.

Big 12 Championships
April 22-24
University of Texas
The University of Texas Golf Course
6,323 Yards, Par 72

Team Standings (Through Second Round)
1. Oklahoma State - 295-307-602
2. Texas - 297-306-603
T3. Baylor - 305-314-619
T3. Missouri - 306-313-619
5. Texas A&M - 310-316-626
6. Texas Tech - 305-323-628
7. Nebraska - 305-324-629
8. Colorado - 307-323-630
9. Iowa State - 317-314-631
10. Kansas State - 320-314-634
T11. Kansas - 311-331-642
T11. Oklahoma - 314-328-642

Nebraska Individual Results
T5. Elli Brown - 74-77-151
T31. Chrissie McArdle - 76-83-159
T38. Jackie Beste - 77-83-160
T38. Merynn Ito - 78-82-160
T45. Sara Sackett - 8182-163