{"id":685926,"date":"2026-05-21T21:16:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T21:16:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/685926\/"},"modified":"2026-05-21T21:16:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T21:16:10","slug":"womens-golf-begins-play-in-ncaa-championships-on-friday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/685926\/","title":{"rendered":"Women\u2019s Golf Begins Play in NCAA Championships on Friday"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>EAST LANSING, Mich. \u2013 Michigan State women&#8217;s golf team will be competing in the NCAA Championships for the 18th\u00a0time in program history. Play begins Friday morning (May 22) for all 30 teams at the Omni La Costa Resort &amp; Spa in Carlsbad, Calif.<\/p>\n<p>The Spartans tee off on Friday at 11:20 a.m. (ET) from the 10th hole, playing alongside Oregon State and Texas Tech.<\/p>\n<p>Live scoring will be available via Clippd.<\/p>\n<p>After finishing in a tie for fourth place at the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional last week, the Spartans will be making their fourth-straight NCAA Championships appearance, the fifth in the last six years and the 16th under Head Coach <a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/coaches\/stacy-slobodnik-stoll\/1761\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"1761\" target=\"_blank\">Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>THE LINEUP<br \/>&#13;<br \/>\n1. <a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/taylor-kehoe\/16337\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"16337\" target=\"_blank\">Taylor Kehoe<\/a><br \/>&#13;<br \/>\n2. <a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/lucia-valderrama\/16354\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"16354\" target=\"_blank\">Lucia Valderrama<\/a><br \/>&#13;<br \/>\n3. <a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/sarisa-pojanalai\/16353\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"16353\" target=\"_blank\">Sarisa Pojanalai<\/a><br \/>&#13;<br \/>\n4. <a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/ana-sofia-murcia\/16340\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"16340\" target=\"_blank\">Ana Sofia Murcia<\/a><br \/>&#13;<br \/>\n5. <a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/grace-vetter\/16352\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"16352\" target=\"_blank\">Grace Vetter<\/a><br \/>&#13;<br \/>\nSUB \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/catalina-monroy\/16339\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"16339\" target=\"_blank\">Catalina Monroy<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Tournament Schedule<br \/>&#13;<br \/>\nFriday, May 22: Round 1 of Stroke Play<br \/>&#13;<br \/>\nSaturday, May 23: Round 2 of Stroke Play<br \/>&#13;<br \/>\nSunday, May 24: Round 3 of Stroke Play<br \/>&#13;<br \/>\nField of 30 cut to 15 teams<br \/>&#13;<br \/>\nMonday, May 25: Final Round of Stroke Play<br \/>&#13;<br \/>\nIndividual national champion determined, field of 15 cut to 8 teams for Match Play<br \/>&#13;<br \/>\nTuesday, May 26: Quarterfinals &amp; Semifinals<br \/>&#13;<br \/>\nWednesday, May 27: National Championship Match<\/p>\n<p>STARTING FIVE\u2026&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tThe Spartans are making their 18th NCAA Championships appearance, the program&#8217;s fourth-straight and the fifth in the last six years.&#13;<br \/>\n\tMSU finished in third place in last week&#8217;s NCAA Chapel Hill Regional, the seventh time MSU has advanced to the NCAA&#8217;s when not being among the top-five seeds at the regional.&#13;<br \/>\n\tMichigan State is ranked No. 38 in the country in the latest NCAA Division I Rankings.&#13;<br \/>\n\tThe Spartans, who won the Carolina Challenge Cup on April 4 (8-under par 552) have posted eight top-5 team finishes, including five in the spring season.&#13;<br \/>\n\tSenior\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/taylor-kehoe\/16337\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"16337\" target=\"_blank\">Taylor Kehoe<\/a> was an All-Big Ten Second Team selection, earned a spot on the All-Big Ten Championship Team and has been the team&#8217;s top finisher seven times.&#13;<\/p>\n<p>ABOUT THE SPARTANS<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tMichigan State is coming off a tie for fourth place at the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional in North Carolina last weekend.&#13;<br \/>\n\tThe Spartans entered the final round in seventh place and were one of two teams (Virginia) to advance to the NCAA Championships following a three-team playoff to secure a spot in Carlsbad.&#13;<br \/>\n\tThe Spartans have eight top-five team finishes during the 2025-26 season, including five during the second half of the year.&#13;<br \/>\n\tSenior <a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/taylor-kehoe\/16337\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"16337\" target=\"_blank\">Taylor Kehoe<\/a> leads the team in round played (33) and scoring average.&#13;<br \/>\n\tKehoe, who has three top-5 finishes, five among the top-10 and nine among the top-20, leads the team with a 72.24 scoring average.&#13;<br \/>\n\tKehoe tied for fifth place at the Big Ten Championships (3-over par 213), earning a spot on the All-Championship Team, and followed that up with a fourth-place finish (3-under par 207) at the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional.&#13;<br \/>\n\tJunior <a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/ana-sofia-murcia\/16340\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"16340\" target=\"_blank\">Ana Sofia Murcia<\/a> is making her second appearance in the NCAA Championships as a Spartan, playing as part of the 2025 team that finished in 18th place \u2026 She tied for 76th last year at 8-over par 224 (73-78-73).&#13;<br \/>\n\tMurcia carries a 75.00 average in 25 rounds over nine events \u2026 Her top finish this year was a third-place showing at the Windy City Classic at 6-under par 210 in late September \u2026 She tied for 37th place with an 11-over par 221 (72-57-74) at the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional.&#13;<br \/>\n\tThe MSU lineup for the NCAA Championships includes three underclassmen, including sophomore <a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/grace-vetter\/16352\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"16352\" target=\"_blank\">Grace Vetter<\/a> and a pair of freshmen, <a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/sarisa-pojanalai\/16353\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"16353\" target=\"_blank\">Sarisa Pojanalai<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/lucia-valderrama\/16354\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"16354\" target=\"_blank\">Lucia Valderrama<\/a>.&#13;<br \/>\n\tVetter has played in 22 rounds over nine events, carrying a 74.09 scoring average, with two top-20 finishes.&#13;<br \/>\n\tPojanalai is fourth on the team with a 74.24 scoring average in 25 rounds this season, including three top-20 showings, all in the spring season \u2026 She closed the regular season with a career-best ninth-place finish at the Buckeye Invitational and has a 73.63 scoring average in five events during the second half of the season.&#13;<br \/>\n\tValderrama is fifth on the team with a 74.40 scoring average over nine events and 25 rounds \u2026 She has a top-10 finish this season and three in the top-20, including a tie for 16th place at the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional at 4-over par 214 (70-74-70).&#13;<br \/>\n\tIn the final two events of the regular season, she tied for fifth place at Carolina Challenge Cup at 1-under par 139 and tied for 11th place at the Buckeye Invitational at 9-over par 225 \u2026 Valderrama has a 74.18 scoring average in the spring.&#13;<\/p>\n<p>MODEL OF CONSISTENCY<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tThe Michigan State women&#8217;s golf program has appeared in 27 of the past 29 NCAA Regionals (1999-2014; 2016-26) and has earned a berth in the NCAA Championships 17 times since 2000 (2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025 2026).&#13;<br \/>\n\tIn addition, since the inception of the conference championships in 1974, only Ohio State (18) has won more Big Ten Conference titles than the Spartans (14).&#13;<br \/>\n\tMSU won five consecutive Big Ten titles from 1974-78, and has won conference crowns in 1982, 2001, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2021.&#13;<\/p>\n<p>HEAD COACH STACY SLOBODNIK-STOLL<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tIn\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/coaches\/stacy-slobodnik-stoll\/1761\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"1761\" target=\"_blank\">Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll<\/a>&#8216;s 29 years guiding the program, she has led MSU to eight Big Ten titles (2001, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2021), 16 trips to the NCAA Championships (2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026), and 27 appearances in the NCAA Regionals (1999-2014, 2016-26).&#13;<br \/>\n\tMSU has won 46 tournaments during Slobodnik-Stoll&#8217;s tenure, and her players have earned All-Big Ten honors 63 times, including 38 first-team selections.&#13;<br \/>\n\tShe has been voted Big Ten Coach of the Year on five occasions (2001, 2007, 2012, 2017, 2018).&#13;<br \/>\n\tSlobodnik-Stoll was inducted into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame in June 2017 and the Women&#8217;s Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame in December 2017.&#13;<\/p>\n<p>FAMILIAR TERRITORY<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tMichigan State is making its ninth-straight NCAA Regionals appearance and 25th since 1999.&#13;<br \/>\n\tThe Spartans are looking to advance to the NCAA Championships for the fourth-straight year and the fifth time in the last six years.&#13;<br \/>\n\tMichigan State advanced to the Championships last year after a third-place finish at the NCAA Norman Regional, with senior <a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/taylor-kehoe\/16337\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"16337\" target=\"_blank\">Taylor Kehoe<\/a> tying for fifth place to lead the team.&#13;<br \/>\n\tMSU won the NCAA Palm Beach Regional in 2023, the program&#8217;s first-ever NCAA Regional win, with <a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/brooke-biermann\/15234\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"15234\" target=\"_blank\">Brooke Biermann<\/a> taking medalist honors, before finishing in 18th place at the NCAA Championships.&#13;<\/p>\n<p>FOR THE RECORD BOOK<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tIn just two years, senior <a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/taylor-kehoe\/16337\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"16337\" target=\"_blank\">Taylor Kehoe<\/a> has put her name among the top players in program history.&#13;<br \/>\n\tKehoe has been one of the top players for MSU over the last two years since her transfer from Alabama.&#13;<br \/>\n\tShe leads the team with a 72.24 scoring average, which ranks tied as the fifth-best single-season in program history \u2026 Over the last two seasons at MSU, Kehoe has played in 22 events over 63 rounds and carries a 72.33 scoring average that ranks first all-time (minimum 60 rounds played).&#13;<\/p>\n<p>ALL-B1G SPARTANS<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tSeniors <a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/paula-balanzategui\/16336\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"16336\" target=\"_blank\">Paula Balanzategui<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/taylor-kehoe\/16337\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"16337\" target=\"_blank\">Taylor Kehoe<\/a> were among a group of 10 golfers selected to the All-Big Ten Second Team, while senior <a href=\"https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/womens-golf\/roster\/shannon-kennedy\/16338\" rel=\"smarttag nofollow noopener\" rev=\"16338\" target=\"_blank\">Shannon Kennedy<\/a> was a recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.&#13;<br \/>\n\tBalanzategui, a four-year letterwinner for the Spartans, is second on the team with a 73.20 scoring average over 12 events and 32 rounds.&#13;<br \/>\n\tShe posted two top-5 finishes, four among the top-10 and five among the top-20 this season while tying for the team lead in rounds counted at 83.9 percent (26-of-31).&#13;<br \/>\n\tShe was the team&#8217;s top finisher twice this season, including a second-place finish at the Spartan Sun Coast Invitational with a 1-under par 215 and a tie for sixth place at the Briar&#8217;s Creek Invitational with a 3-under par 141.&#13;<br \/>\n\tKehoe, who has spent the last two years in East Lansing after transferring from Alabama, earns her second-straight all-conference honor as she was a second-team selection as a junior.&#13;<br \/>\n\tThis year, she leads the team with a 72.24 scoring average over 12 events and 33 rounds.&#13;<br \/>\n\tShe has three top-5 finishes, five among the top-10 and nine among the top-20 while tying with Balanzategui for the team lead in rounds counted toward the team total at 90.6 percent (29-of-32).&#13;<br \/>\n\tShe has been the team&#8217;s top finisher seven times, including her first career individual win when she shot a 6-under par 134 to help the Spartans to the team title at the Carolina Challenge Cup on April 4.&#13;<br \/>\n\tKehoe also was selected to the All-Big Ten Championship Tournament Team last week when she tied for fifth place at 3-over par 213.&#13;<br \/>\n\tKennedy, a former walk-on, earns the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for the second time in her career.&#13;<br \/>\n\tThe 2024 Michigan Women&#8217;s Amateur Champion, Kennedy is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, a two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and has twice been named a Women&#8217;s Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar.&#13;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"EAST LANSING, Mich. \u2013 Michigan State women&#8217;s golf team will be competing in the NCAA Championships for 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