Huskers Take 10th at Big Ten Championship

Michaela Vavrova produced Nebraska's best individual round for the third consecutive day, posting a one-over-par 73 to finish with a three-round total of 220 (+4) to lead the Huskers at the Big Ten Women's Golf Championship in Havre de Grace, Md., Sunday.

Vavrova, a senior from Bojnice, Slovakia, was three-over through the first six holes on Sunday, but rebounded for three birdies, six pars and one bogey over the final 10 holes on the 6,314-yard, par-72 layout of the Bulle Rock Golf Course. She tied for 28th to lead the Huskers in the 84-golfer field.

Kelli Ann Strand contributed a 74 to produce NU's second-best round of the day and second-best individual finish. The sophomore from Challis, Idaho, put together a 54-hole score of 224 to tie for 40th. Strand was four-over through the first nine holes before bouncing back to play the back nine at two-under-par.

Lindsey Thiele and Lena Hassert contributed rounds of 76 to Nebraska's 299 (+11) final-round team score in the six-count-four format. Thiele, a senior from Wahoo, Neb., closed the tournament in a tie for 55th at 229 (+13). Hassert, a junior from Kreuzau, Germany, pitched in her first counting score of the tournament for the Huskers on her way to a 71st-place finish at 234 (+18).

Junior Miu Takahashi managed a final-round 78 to end the tournament in a tie for 49th at 227 (+11), while freshman Arden Louchheim settled for an 80 on Sunday to tie for 72nd overall at 236 (+20).

Nebraska finished at 893 (+29) overall through three rounds to finish 10th in the 14-team Big Ten Championship field. The Huskers finished five strokes ahead of Illinois and Rutgers, who tied for 11th at 898 (+34), while Penn State and Iowa rounded out the field in a tie for 13th nine strokes back of Nebraska at 902 (+38).

The team race went down to the wire despite Michigan State entering the final round with an 11-stroke advantage over Indiana. The Spartans battled their way to a final-round 295 (+7), giving the Hoosiers just enough space to surge to the conference title with a 283 (-5). Indiana (856) won the championship by one stroke, as Michigan State closed at 857 (-7). Northwestern took third at 863 (-1), while Purdue and Michigan tied for fourth at even-par 864.

Ohio State (872), Maryland (873), Wisconsin (882) and Minnesota (884) rounded out the group of schools ahead of the Huskers.

Minnesota's Isabella McCauley put up the best round of the tournament with a final-round 64 (-8) to storm to top of the individual leader board alongside Michigan's Monet Chun and Indiana's Caroline Craig. All three golfers finished with a 54-hole total of 209 (-7). Indiana's Caroline Smith (211) and Northwestern's Lauryn Nguyen (211) rounded out the top five individuals in a tie for fourth.

The selection show for NCAA Division I Women's Golf Regionals will be held on Wednesday, April 24. The selections will air live on the GOLF Channel from 1 to 2 p.m. (CT). 

Big Ten Championship
April 19-21, 2024
Havre de Grace, Maryland
Bulle Rock Golf Course (Par 72, 6,314 Yards)

Final Team Results
1. Indiana - 288-285-283=856 (-8)
2. Michigan State - 279-283-295=857 (-7)
3. Northwestern - 287-295-281=863 (-1)
T4. Purdue - 292-289-283=864 (E)
T4. Michigan - 288-287-289=864 (E)
6. Ohio State - 298-288-286=872 (+8)
7. Maryland - 298-287-288=873 (+9)
8. Wisconsin - 295-294-293=882 (+18)
9. Minnesota - 301-296-287=884 (+20)
10. Nebraska - 301-293-299=893 (+29)
T11. Rutgers - 305-295-297=898 (+34)
T11. Illinois - 301-297-300=898 (+34)
T13. Penn State - 310-294-298=902 (+38)
T13. Iowa - 300-298-304=902 (+38)

Final Individual Results
T1. Isabella McCauley, Minnesota - 74-71-64=209 (-7)
T1. Monet Chun, Michigan - 73-66-70=209 (-7)
T1. Caroline Craig, Indiana - 69-69-71=209 (-7)
T4. Carolina Smith, Indiana - 73-71-67=211 (-5)
T4. Lauryn Nguyen, Northwestern - 67-74-70=211 (-5)
6. Katie Lu, Michigan State - 70-68-74=212 (-4)
T7. Hailey Borja, Michigan - 71-73-70=214 (-2)
T7. Isabel Sy, Illinois - 70-70-74=214 (-2)
T7. Paula Balanzategui, Michigan State - 67-72-75=214 (-2)
T10. Ashley Yun, Northwestern - 75-72-68=215 (-1)
T10. Leigha Devine, Rutgers - 73-71-71=215 (-1)
T10. Momo Sugiyama, Purdue - 71-73-71=215 (-1)
T10. Kary Hollenbaugh, Ohio State - 75-68-72=215 (-1)

Nebraska Individuals
T28. Michaela Vavrova - 74-73-73=220 (+4)
T40. Kelli Ann Strand - 76-74-74=224 (+8)
T49. Miu Takahashi - 76-73-78=227 (+11)
T55. Lindsey Thiele - 80-73-76=229 (+13)
71. Lena Hassert - 81-77-76=234 (+18)
T72. Arden Louchheim - 75-81-80=236 (+20)