Strand, Thiele Lead Huskers at Big Ten Championship

Kelli Ann Strand and Lindsey Thiele carded rounds of 74 (+3) to lead the Nebraska women's golf team on the opening day of the Big Ten Championship in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Strand got off to a solid start by playing the front nine at even-par 36, before closing the back nine with a three-over 38 on the 6,045-yard, par-71 layout of the Fox Chapel Golf Club on Friday. The freshman from Challis, Idaho is tied for 19th heading to Saturday's second round.

Thiele, a junior from Wahoo, Neb., played the front at 38 (+2) with eight pars and a double-bogey on No. 6. She managed birdies on No. 11 and No. 14 and headed to No. 16 at even par, before closing her round with three straight bogeys to match Strand in a tie for 19th.

Sophomore Andrea Velez (Pereira, Colombia) stepped up in a big way for the Big Red, closing her first Big Ten Championship round with a 75 (+4) while playing out of the No. 6 spot in Nebraska's six-count-four lineup. Velez played the front nine at 37 (+1) with eight pars and a bogey on No. 6, then added four more pars over the next five holes. She enters the second round in a tie for 22nd.

Velez's performance helped the Huskers overcome the absence of Miu Takahashi, who attempted to play her round despite battling illness. The sophomore from Nasu-machi, Japan, who entered the tournament tied with graduate student Megan Whittaker for Nebraska's second-best stroke average on the season, was unable to finish her round.

Whittaker also got off to a slow start in her fourth Big Ten Championship appearance but steadied on the back nine. The Elkhorn, Neb., native took the turn at 41, then registered eight pars and just one bogey on the back nine to finish the day at 77 (+6) with NU's fourth counting score. Whittaker ended the first round in a tie for 43rd.

Junior Michaela Vavrova, who is making her third Big Ten Championship appearance, managed a 78 (+7) to head to Saturday's second round in a tie for 57th.

"Our players showed some great resilience in battling through adversity in today's round," Nebraska Coach Jeanne Sutherland said. "Losing one of your top players is a blow, but they all kept battling. We are right in the thick of a tight team race after 18 holes, and we'll see if we can make some adjustments and improve our position tomorrow."

Illinois posted Friday's best team round with a 286 (+2), while No. 24 Ohio State closed in second at 292 (+8). No. 33 Maryland managed a 294 (+10), while No. 15 Northwestern and Wisconsin sit in a tie for fourth at 295 (+11). Nebraska sits in eighth place at 300, just eight strokes out of second place heading to the second round.

The Big Ten Championship continues with 18 holes on Saturday at Fox Chapel Golf Club beginning with tee times at 7:30 a.m. (CT).

Big Ten Championship
April 21-23, 2023
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Fox Chapel Golf Club (Par 71, 6,045 Yards)

Team Standings (One Round)
1. Illinois - 286 (+2)
2. Ohio State - 292 (+8)
3. Maryland - 294 (+10)
T4. Northwestern - 295 (+11)
T4. Wisconsin - 295 (+11)
6. Indiana - 296 (+12)
7. Purdue - 297 (+13)
8. Nebraska - 300 (+16)
T9. Michigan - 301 (+17)
T9. Minnesota - 301 (+17)
11. Michigan State - 302 (+18)
12. Iowa - 303 (+19)
13. Penn State - 307 (+23)
14. Rutgers - 311 (+27)

Individual Leaderboard (One Round)
T1. Emily Lauterbach, Wisconsin - 69 (-2)
T1. Isabel Sy, Illinois - 69 (-2)
T1. Momo Sugiyama - 69 (-2)
T4. Siyan Chen, Illinois - 70 (-1)
T4. Shannon Kennedy, Michigan State - 70 (-1)
T4. Kailie Vongsaga, Ohio State - 70 (-1)
T7. Isabella McCauley, Minnesota - 71 (E)
T7. Crystal Wang, Illinois - 71 (E)
T7. Anika Dy, Michigan - 71 (E)
T10. Seven Golfers - 72 (+1)

Nebraska Individuals
T19. Kelli Ann Strand - 74 (+3)
T19. Lindsey Thiele - 74 (+3)
T22. Andrea Velez - 75 (+4)
T43. Megan Whittaker - 77 (+6)
T57. Michaela Vavrova - 78 (+7)
DNF - Miu Takahashi (did not complete round, illness)