San Antonio, Texas - Madeleine Sheils fired a two-over-par 74 to close with a 225 over three rounds to finish tied for 24th, leading the Nebraska women's golf team to a 10th-place finish at the Alamo Invitational Tuesday.
Sheils, a junior from Boise, Idaho, posted solid rounds of 78, 73 and 74 to lead the Huskers at the 14-team event hosted by the University of Texas-San Antonio at the Briggs Ranch Golf Club.
With Sheils leading the way, the Huskers produced a three-round total of 914 (306-301-307). The team total represented Nebraska's best 54-hole tournament performance of the season.
TCU won the tournament with an 877, while Texas A&M finished second at 880. Notre Dame took fourth at 882, while Colorado (883) and Tulane (884) rounded out the top five.
In addition to Sheils' solid tournament, freshman Katelyn Wright produced the best performance of her young career with a 228 to tie for 32nd. Wright, a four-time Nevada high school state champion, notched rounds of 77, 74 and 77 while playing as an individual outside the Husker lineup.
Another newcomer to the Huskers, junior transfer Katie Keiser also closed the best tournament of her Husker career with a 78 on Tuesday to finish in a tie for 38th. Keiser, a native of Gothenburg, Neb., produced a career-best 230 over three rounds on the par-72, 6,302-yard layout at Briggs Ranch, including a career-best 72 on Monday.
Junior Kayla Knopik, a Papillion, Neb., native added three consistent rounds of 77 to finish in a tie for 43rd at 231. Freshman Steffi Neisen tied for 51st (74-79-80-233), while fellow freshman Remylee Molyneux (77-81-78-236) rounded out the Husker contingent in a tie for 61st.
TCU's Brooke Beeler earned medalist honors with a four-under-par 212 over three rounds. Beeler finished one shot ahead of Colorado's Jessica Wallace (213), while Notre Dame's Nicole Zhang took third at 215.
"We are making progress," Nebraska Coach Robin Krapfl said. "I've been really impressed with our whole team. They are working hard every day and have great attitudes. Our scores have not been that impressive based on our past standards here, but you can see us getting better every day and that is encouraging.
"It has really been a rewarding fall season because our young players have bought in, and we are starting to see those results. They have been very coachable, and if they can keep progressing over the winter months, we should see continued improvement during the spring."
The Huskers are scheduled to return to the course for their spring season at the Kiawah Island Intercollegiate, Feb. 20-22.
UTSA Alamo Invitational
Oct. 31-Nov. 2, 2010
Briggs Ranch Golf Club
San Antonio, Texas
Final Team Standings
1. TCU - 294-281-302-877
2. Texas A&M - 296-286-298-880
3. Notre Dame - 298-289-295-882
4. Colorado - 291-291-301-883
5. Tulane - 297-284-303-884
6. UTSA - 298-293-300-891
7. Baylor - 303-291-303-897
8. Tulsa - 302-295-306-903
9. Wisconsin - 307-293-308-908
10. Nebraska - 306-301-307-914
11. Central Arkansas - 308-301-318-927
12. SMU - 312-302-318-932
13. Central Florida - 314-309-311-934
14. Kansas State - 310-303-323-936
Final Individual Standings
1. Brooke Beeler, TCU - 67-70-75-212
2. Jessica Wallace, Colorado - 72-66-75-213
3. Nicole Zhang, Notre Dame - 72-73-70-215
T4. So-Hyun Park, Notre Dame - 73-72-72-217
T4. Emily Talley, Colorado - 67-76-74-217
6. Sarah Zwartynski, Texas A&M - 73-71-74-218
T7. Lene Hafsten-Morch, Baylor - 74-73-72-219
T7. Sarah Beth Davis, Texas A&M - 74-70-75-219
T9. Kristina Nhim, Notre Dame - 75-72-73-220
T9. Melissa Loh, TCU - 75-69-76-220
T9. Linn Gustafsson, Tulane - 75-70-75-220
Nebraska Individuals (Two Rounds)
T24. Madeleine Sheils - 78-73-74-225
T32. Katelyn Wright - 77-74-77-228*
T38. Katie Keiser - 80-72-78-230
T43. Kayla Knopik - 77-77-77-231
T51. Steffi Neisen - 74-79-80-233
T61. Remylee Molyneux - 77-81-78-236
*competing as an individual outside of Nebraska lineup