EAST LANSING- After a third-round team score of 285 on Wednesday, May 8, the Michigan State women’s golf team placed third at the NCAA East Lansing Regional, earning a spot in the NCAA Championships.
The Spartans would shoot a collective total of 860 (-4) through 54 holes of golf, placing themselves in the top three behind Oklahoma State, and Southern California.
MSU’s team score of 860 was 12 shots better than its previous low 54-hole score in an NCAA Regional (872 both at the 2023 Palm Beach Regional and the 2017 Athens Regional).
See you in California!!#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/5jj0IZ91nA
— Spartan Women's Golf (@MSU_WGolf) May 8, 2024
Senior Leila Raines would lead MSU in the third round with a 69 (-3), with a tournament score of 210 (-6) through three rounds, shooting 73 (+1) on Monday, and 68 on (-4) Tuesday.
“It feels amazing – this is what we worked all season for,” said Raines in a statement after her Wednesday round. “The anticipation of it, being at home, and then just being able to pull it off like we wanted to is really rewarding.
Raines took 4th place individually, setting a 54-hole record for a Spartan in an NCAA Regional. This will also be the fourth-straight appearance in the NCAA Championships for Raines, who has gone with the team three total times (2021, 2023, and 2024) and qualified as an individual in 2022.
And Leila for eagle on 13! pic.twitter.com/D3iFxBBGza
— Spartan Women's Golf (@MSU_WGolf) May 7, 2024
“Being able to end my senior year here and now, a ticket punched to nationals, you can’t ask for much more,” said Raines in her Wednesday statement.
Junior Katie Lu, a first-team All-Big Ten selection, would be the next Spartan to place in the top 20, firing a tournament score of 216 (E). Lu would cap off her tournament with a 71 (-1), bouncing back after a Tuesday round of 73 (+1) and a Monday score of 72 (E).
A birdie on 7️⃣ for @katie_luuu pic.twitter.com/8Z9aUrckyq
— Spartan Women's Golf (@MSU_WGolf) May 8, 2024
Junior Shannon Kennedy shot an even-par 72 in a round that included a team-best six birdies, while sophomore Paula Balanzategui carded a 1-over 73 to round out MSU’s team scores in the third round. Balanzategui tied for 20th overall at 3-over 219 (74-72-73). Junior Brooke Biermann also tied for 20th finishing with a three-day total of 219 (72-71-76).
As for MSU head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll, this will be her 14th appearance at the NCAA championships, as the Spartans will make their 16th all-time program arrival.
“The feeling of wanting to be there never dies and it never ends,” said Slobodnik-Stoll regarding coaching at the NCAA Championships.
“You are going to get to take those players who are representing Michigan State and all they’ve done and all they’ve worked for, to the national championship, which is the pinnacle of their career. And those are going to be memories that they’re going to remember for the rest of their lives.”
The 2024 NCAA Women’s Golf Championships are set for May 17-22 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California. MSU will be making its third appearance in the past four seasons.
