The Nebraska women’s golf team returns to action this weekend when the Huskers travel to East Lansing, Mich., to compete in the Mary Fossum Invitational.
The Huskers will be making their first appearance at Michigan State’s annual home tournament since joining the Big Ten in 2011-12. In fact, it will be just the third appearance all time for Nebraska at the Mary Fossum Invite, including trips to East Lansing in 2000-01 and 2002-03.
The Big Red will be part of a loaded 15-team field at Forest Akers Golf Course that includes nine NCAA Regional-qualifying teams from 2023, including Kent State, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio State, Purdue, Tennessee and the hosts from Michigan State. The Spartans were also ranked in the Golfweek Preseason Top 30 for 2023-24.Horizon runner-up Oakland and MAC runner-up Northern Illinois, join Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Toledo and Grand Valley State, which finished 11th at the 2023 NCAA Division II Championships, in the field.
After a practice round on Saturday, the teams will hit the course at Forest Akers West for a 7:30 a.m. (CT) shotgun start for two rounds on Sunday, Sept. 17. Tournament actions concludes with a final-round shotgun start at 7:30 a.m. (CT) on Monday, Sept. 18.
Live scoring for the five-count-four tournament will be available through Golfstat.com.
Nebraska will look to build off a solid start to the fall after tying for fifth in a strong 12-team field that included seven 2023 NCAA Regional-qualifying teams at the season-opening Sam Golden Invitational at North Texas (Sept. 11-12).
Mary Fossum Invitational
Sept. 17-18, 2023
Forest Akers West GC (East Lansing, Mich.)
Par 72, 6,370 Yards
Schedule
Sunday, Sept. 17 (Rounds 1 & 2) – 7:30 a.m. (CT) – shotgun
Monday, Sept. 18 (Round 3) – 7:30 a.m. (CT) – shotgun
Live Scoring: Golfstat.com
Participating Teams (15): Grand Valley, Kent State, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, North Carolina, Northern Illinois, Notre Dame, Oakland, Ohio State, Purdue, Tennessee, Toledo, Virginia Tech
Nebraska Lineup
1. Michaela Vavrova
2. Kelli Ann Strand
3. Miu Takahashi
4. Lena Hassert
5. Arden Louchheim
Huskers, Vavrova Start Season Strong at Sam Golden Invitational
Michaela Vavrova led the Huskers with a career-best 205 (-11) to tie for fifth individually on the par-72, 6,413-yard layout of the Oakmont Country Club in Corinth, Texas. The senior from Bojnice, Slovakia also captured Big Ten Golfer-of-the-Week honors for the second time in her career on Sept. 13, after carding rounds of 69-68-68 during the week. Vavrova was the 2022 Slovakian Women’s Player of the Year.
Returning All-Big Ten Husker Kelli Ann Strand added a solid performance of her own in Texas. The sophomore from Challis, Idaho missed a top-10 finish by just one stroke, tying for 13th with a three-round total of 209 (-7) that included rounds of 70-68-71.It was Strand’s 10th top-20 finish in 14 career tournaments as a Husker, including a tie for 20th at the 2023 Big Ten Championship.
Lena Hassert added a record performance in Texas. The junior from Kreuzau, Germany, fired a career-best 69 (-3) in the opening round on her way to a career-best 215 (-1) to tie for 35th in her second career lineup appearance. Hassert slashed 17 strokes off her previous best (232).
True freshman Arden Louchheim (Park City, Utah) added a solid showing in her collegiate debut. The three-time Utah state high school champion put up a three-round score of 218 (+2) that included an opening-round 70 (-2) at Oakmont.
Junior Miu Takahashi (Nasu-machi, Japan) and senior Lindsey Thiele (Wahoo, Neb.) rounded out Nebraska’s contingent in Texas. Takahashi, who played out of the top five in NU’s lineup, tied for 54th at 220 (+4), while Thiele competed as an individual and tied for 52nd with a 219 (+3). Both were regulars in the lineup that helped Nebraska to its second NCAA Regional berth in the past three years in 2023. Takahashi set Nebraska’s sophomore stroke average record (73.49), while producing six top-25 finishes, including four top-10 showings a year ago. Takahashi joined Strand in qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Amateur in August.
Huskers Begin Pursuit of Third NCAA Regional Bid in Four Years
Nebraska earned its second NCAA Regional appearance in a three-year span when the Huskers were selected to compete at the 2023 NCAA Raleigh Regional. It was Nebraska’s 13th all-time NCAA Regional berth dating back to the 1994 NCAA West Regional.
The Huskers, who finished ninth at the 12-team NCAA Raleigh Regional, also competed at the 2021 NCAA Columbus Regional, tying for 15th in an 18-team field in Ohio.
The Huskers made regional appearances in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2021.
Nebraska’s highest regional finish came with a fifth-place finish in a 21-team field at the 2003 NCAA Central Regional at Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln (May 8-10).
The Huskers advanced to NCAA Championship appearances in 2000 (19th), 2003 (22nd) and 2006 (20th).
Senior Vavrova Captures Big Ten Golfer of the Week Award (Sept. 13)
Michaela Vavrova is gearing up for her best season at Nebraska in 2023-24. The senior from Bojnice, Slovakia, overcame an up-and-down junior season to help the Huskers advance to the NCAA Raleigh Regional.
She opened 2023-24 with one of the best efforts of her career by tying for fifth with a career-best 205 (-11) at the Sam Golden Invitational at North Texas (Sept. 11-12). Her performance on the par-72, 6,413-yard layout of the Oakmont Country Club in Corinth, Texas, earned her the second Big Ten Golfer of the Week award of her career on Sept. 13.
The 2022 Slovakian Player of the Year, Vavrova has been a key to Nebraska’s success since arriving in Lincoln, including her tie for 17th at the 2022 Big Ten Championship. She owns a pair of top-50 NCAA Regional finishes.
Vavrova finished second at the 2022 Slovak Amateur Championship and 12th at the AMUNDI Czech Ladies Challenge. She also represented Slovakia at the 2022 World University Golf Championships in Turin, leading Slovakia to a ninth-place finish.
Her top highlight of the 2022-23 college season came with a final-round 66 (-6) to help the Huskers claim the Westbrook Spring Invitational title (Feb. 26-27, 2023). Vavrova tied for 20th with a then-career-best 216.
Vavrova won her first title with a then-career-best 217 (+1) at the Stampede at The Creek in Elkhorn, Neb. (Oct. 4-5, 2021). She was named the Big Ten Co-Golfer of the Week (Oct. 6).