Huskers Face Big Ten Field in Indiana

The Nebraska women's golf team returns to action after a month off from team play to compete in the Indiana Spring Invitational this weekend in Bloomington. 

The 16-team event opens Saturday, April 17 with tee times starting at 7:15 a.m. (CT) at The Pfau Course on the University of Indiana campus. All 14 Big Ten teams and top 100 non-conference opponents from Kent State and Xavier will be challenged by the 6,254-yard, par-72 layout. After playing two rounds on Saturday, the teams will return for the final round on Sunday with tee times starting again at 7:15 a.m. (CT). The tournament format in Indiana features six-count-four scoring, which is identical to the format used at the Big Ten Championships (April 23-25).

Live scoring for the tournament will be available at GolfStat.com. 

Kate Smith, a fifth-year senior from Detroit Lakes, Minn., leads Nebraska after just missing the cut at the second annual Augusta National Women's Amateur (March 31-April 3). Smith led the tournament, which featured 82 of the world's top amateurs, after the first day when her round was cut short by weather to just 11 holes. 

Smith's performance in Georgia followed her first career tournament title at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate (March 14-16). Smith finished with a three-round total of 215 (-1) to lead Nebraska to the team title. Smith is hunting for her second career NCAA Regional bid. She is NU's career stroke average leader (73.44) and owns 19 career top-10 finishes, including three this season. 

Kirsten Baete (4th, 221), Michaela Vavrova (T20th, 228), Alice Duan and Lindsey Thiele (T23rd, 229) all finished in the top 25 individually at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate. 

Indiana Spring Invitational
The Pfau Course (Bloomington, Indiana)
Par 72, 6,254 Yards
April 17-18, 2021

Format (Six-count-Four)
Tee Times: Saturday, April 17 - 7:15 a.m. (CT)
Tee Times: Sunday, April 18 - 7:15 a.m. (CT)
Live Scoring: GolfStat.com

Nebraska Lineup
1. Kate Smith    
2. Kirsten Baete 
3. Alice Duan
4. Michaela Vavrova
5. Megan Whittaker    
6. Lindsey Thiele

Participating Teams (16)     
Illinois (40)
Indiana (156)    
Iowa (83)
Kent State (17)
Maryland (19)
Michigan (23)
Michigan State (41)
Minnesota (74) 
Nebraska (58)
Northwestern (21)    
Ohio State (55)
Penn State (70)
Purdue (42)
Rutgers (111)    
Wisconsin (94)
Xavier (98)

Smith, Huskers Win in New Orleans
Kate Smith captured her first career tournament title with a three-round total of 215 (-1) to lead Nebraska to the team championship at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate at the English Turn Golf & Country Club (March 14-16) in New Orleans.
Smith led from wire-to-wire after an opening-round 71 was followed by a second-round 74 in tough scoring conditions at English Turn. She capped the victory with a final-round 70 (-2).

All five Huskers in the lineup joined Smith in the top-25 at the 13-team event, including Kirsten Baete (4th), Michaela Vavrova (T20th), Alice Duan and Lindsey Thiele (T23rd). Nebraska's season-best round of 288 on the final day helped the Huskers finish with a season-best 884 team total to win the tournament by seven shots.