University of St. Thomas Athletics
NDSU Fall Invitational
Tommie Women's Golf wins first tournament in DI era
9/6/2023 6:51:00 PM | Women's Golf
St. Thomas claims share of NDSU Fall Invitational with two-day score of 616
FARGO, N.D. – The University of St. Thomas women's golf team made quite the statement in its 2023-24 season opener. The Tommies won a share of the NDSU Fall Invitational Wednesday afternoon, dropping 12 strokes from day one to day two to win the title with a two-round score of 616. The win is the first for the program in the Division I era and makes a statement to open the 2023-24 season. Four of St. Thomas' six golfers on the course earned top-10 finishes during the two-day tournament, including Kathryn VanArragon (Blaine, Minn. / Blaine), who finished third in her collegiate golf debut with a two-day score of 152.
DAY ONE RECAP:
The Tommies shot 314 on the opening day of competition to close in second place behind host North Dakota State. Isabelle Lynch (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson) paced St. Thomas in the round, shooting a 76 to finish atop not just the Tommies leaderboard, but the tournament leaderboard as well. VanArragon was not far behind. After struggling on the front nine of the tournament, the first year rebounded to close day one with a score of 78, just two strokes behind Lynch for the lead.
Emma Davies (Eden Prairie, Minn. / Eden Prairie) and Courtney Wedin (Chanhassen, Minn. / Chanhassen) rounded out St. Thomas top-4 scorers on Tuesday, closing the first day with scores of 79 and 81 respectively. Nicole Reineke (Chaska, Minn. / Chaska) and Caroline Monty (Stillwater, Minn. / Stillwater) also competed for the Tommies at the NDSU Fall Invitational, but their scores weren't counted toward the overall team score on Tuesday. Reineke shot an opening round 83 on the first day of competition, while Monty closed with a score of 87.
DAY TWO RECAP:
St. Thomas improved significantly from day one to day two of the NDSU Fall Invitational, dropping 12 strokes to finish in a tie for first place. VanArragon played a large role in the Tommies surge, as she dropped four strokes from day one to day two, closing with a 74 to finish with a two-day score of 152. That mark was good enough for third place on the individual leaderboard, as VanAarragon was the highest individual finisher for St. Thomas on the course.
Davies and Lynch also earned top-10 finishes for the Tommies, though Lynch's score was not counted toward the team's on the final day of competition. After shooting an opening round 79, Davies dropped four strokes to shoot 75 on day two, closing the tournament in fifth place with a two-day score of 154. Lynch finished one stroke behind her teammate, shooting a 79 on day two to finish with a two-round score of 155,
Wedin and Reineke closed out the St. Thomas top-4 on Wednesday, with Wedin earning a top-10 finish in her first outing of 2023-24. After shooting an opening round 81, Wedin dropped five strokes to finish in ninth place as an individual with a two-round score of 157. Reineke, in her collegiate debut, saw the biggest improvement from day one to day two, dropping six strokes from her opening round 83 to finish with a two-day score of 77 and to move into the Tommies top-4.
Monty rounded out the St. Thomas line up in Fargo, North Dakota, closing the tournament with a two-round score of 168.
TOP TOMMIES
· First year Kathryn VanArragon (Blaine, Minn. / Blaine) made quite the impression in her Tommie debut, finishing in third place as an individual with a two-round score of 152. Her second round score of 74 was also the second-lowest shot at the tournament Tuesday and Wednesday, with South Dakota's Ava Schrieder leading the way with a 72.
· Emma Davies (Eden Prairie, Minn. / Eden Prairie), Isabelle Lynch (Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson) and Courtney Wedin (Chanhassen, Minn. / Chanhassen) earned top-10 finishes for St. Thomas, closing in fifth, seventh and ninth respectively.
QUOTEABLES
Thoughts from head coach Katie Hanneman after the win:
"I am so incredibly proud of this group. This being our first tournament win is a huge accomplishment for the program, especially so early in our season. The amount of work the golfers put in over the summer to be prepared and ready to jump in this year was incredible, and their commitment level and buy-in is outstanding. I am excited to head to Illinois for our second event of the season, the Red Bird Invitational."
UP NEXT
The Tommies will enjoy a weekend off before competing at the Red Bird Invitational September 10-11. The tournament will take place in Normal, Illinois with tee times to be announced next week.
Players Mentioned
