Smith Claims Big Ten Women's Golf Honor

Nebraska's Kate Smith captured the first Big Ten Women's Golfer-of-the-Week award of her career when the conference announced its weekly honorees on Wednesday, Oct. 12.

Smith, a true freshman from Detroit Lakes, Minn., produced a career-best three-round tournament score of 215 to tie for seventh at the Ron Moore Intercollegiate in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Oct. 7-9. It marked the fourth consecutive top-15 finish for Smith to open her collegiate career, including her third straight top-10 showing.

Smith, who shot a final-round 70 on the par-72, 6,450-yard layout of the Highlands Ranch Golf Club, has fired four rounds better than par through 11 rounds this season, while adding an even-par 72. She opened her career with a three-under-par 69 in the first round of the Ptarmigan Ram Classic in Fort Collins, Colo., on Sept. 12.

Through four fall tournaments, Smith owns a team-best 73.00 stroke average for the Huskers, which is a full stroke ahead of the school single-season record set by Natalie Gleadall (74.00) in 2009-10.

Smith's tie for seventh in Colorado came in a 102-player field at the 18-team invitational. She tied junior teammate Audrey Judd, who also produced career bests with a three-round score of 215. Judd's performance included a career-best 69 in the opening round.

Smith and the Huskers close their 2016 fall season at the UNLV Collegiate Shootout, Oct. 23-25, in Boulder City, Nev.