East Lansing- To close out another successful season, the Michigan State women’s golf team prepares to compete in the NCAA Regionals for the fifth consecutive time close to home in East Lansing.
The Spartans had a carefree selection show day because of their familiarity with the NCAA Regionals. But this selection means more to the squad because the tournament is being played in Lansing at the Forest Akers Golf Course.
“It’s always exciting when you see your name appear for an NCAA Regional,” MSU head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll said. “Obviously, it was a bit different since we’re the host, but it’s still a great feeling and a great sense of accomplishment.”
Michigan State was in a selection of 12 teams and was placed at the 5th seed amongst those teams in the Regional.
“The mindset, as it is with every other regional, is getting one of those five spots (to advance to the NCAA Championships),” Slobodnik-Stoll Said. “Without question, they have the talent to win another regional. It’s the exact same six players that we had last year. It’s also comforting being in your own town and on your own golf course.”
Three of Slobodnik-Stoll’s former players are coaching teams in this year’s tournament. Oakland University’s head coach Sarah Burnham, is a 2018 graduate. The Florida Gators head coach Emily (Bastel) Glasser, who graduated in 2002 from MSU, is a member of the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame. The final former player is the Notre Dame head coach Caroline Powers-Ellis, who graduated from Michigan State in 2013.
The women’s golf team participated in the Big Ten Championships, where they shot 7-over par 295 on the last day to become the runner-up to Indiana, the Big Ten Champions.
On the opening day of the championship, the Spartan shot 9 under par 279 on Friday taking an 8-shot lead, and entered the final round on Sunday with a lead of 11 shots, but could not hold on.
Junior Katie Lu led for Michigan State during the tournament, finishing the event 4-under par 212, ending up in 6th place.
Recently, the league’s coaches named Lu to the All-Big Ten Conference First Team in a consensus vote. Katie has been the Catalyst for the Spartans this year, leading the team with a 71.13 scoring average over 32 rounds and 11 total events.
Paula Balanztegui, Leila Raines, Valentini Rossi, Brooke Biermann, and Shannon Kennedy all placed top 40 in the Big Ten Tournament for the Spartans.
To open up the tournament for the Spartans, Balanztegui tees off first with Lu following, Brook Bierman, Leila Reins, Valentina Rossi, and Shannon Kennedy closing it out for Michigan State.
For the second time the Spartans have hosted the NCAA Regional in 5 years, they start playing with Pepperdine and Kentucky on Monday.
The NCAA Regional will be played on May 6-8 at multiple regional sites, with one being held at the Forest Akers golf course in East Lansing.
