Huskers End Season Strong at Regional

Nebraska closed the 2022-23 season with its best NCAA Regional total in school history, capping the three-round tournament at 893 (+29) to take ninth place in a 12-team field in Raleigh, N.C., on Wednesday.

Nebraska's team total over 54 holes was six shots better than the 899 recorded by the Huskers at the 2000 NCAA West Regional in Tempe, Ariz.

NU's final-round 295 (+7) on the 6,324-yard, par-72 layout at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course at North Carolina State marked the second-best round by a Husker team at a regional, just one stroke shy of a 294 in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Central Regional in Austin, Texas. The Huskers also closed the season with a school-record 292.21 team stroke average, smashing the previous mark of 298.77 set a year ago. by 6.56 strokes. 

Freshman Kelli Ann Strand (Challis, Idaho) led the Nebraska with an even-par 72 in the final round, ending the tournament in a tie for 30th individually at 220 (+4). Strand's 54-hole score matched the best score by a Husker individual in NCAA Regional history, joining Kirsten Baete (2022 NCAA Stanford Regional) and JC Stevenson (2008 NCAA Central Regional). 

Strand finished her first year at Nebraska by setting the school stroke average record (72.05), surpassing All-American and Big Ten Champion Kate Smith's previous mark of 72.18 set in 2019-20. Strand also shattered Smith's previous Husker freshman stroke average record (73.90) set in 2016-17.

Megan Whittaker also completed her outstanding Nebraska career with a strong round, carding a 74 (+2) to take 35th at 222 (+6). The graduate student from Elkhorn, Neb., capped her five-year Husker career with a 73.48 stroke average over 38.5 rounds. Her season average ranked as the fourth best in Nebraska history, while her 75.58 career stroke average over 118.5 rounds also ranked fourth in the Big Red record book.

Miu Takahashi notched a final-round 73 (+1) on Wednesday. The sophomore from Nasu-machi, Japan capped her first career NCAA Regional appearance in a tie for 42nd at 226 (+10). She closed her second season at Nebraska with a 73.49 stroke average over 37.5 rounds to set the school sophomore record, eclipsing Smith's previous record of 73.66 in 2017-18.

Michaela Vavrova (Bojnice, Slovakia) and Lindsey Thiele (Wahoo, Neb.) put all five Huskers in the final top 50 in the 66-player regional. Vavrova produced Nebraska's fourth individual score on Wednesday with a 76 (+4), while Thiele managed a 78 (+6). Both Huskers finished with a three-round total of 230 (+14) in a tie for 47th.

"We finished strong today," Nebraska Head Coach Jeanne Sutherland said. "We had a good talk last night and we all committed to playing with freedom. This was a wonderful group to coach. (Assistant Coach) Matt (Zedrick) and I have really enjoyed our time with them. They learned a lot this year, and the young players will be ready to go next fall."

Nebraska's ninth-place regional finish was one spot better than projected entering the tournament. The Huskers were one of only three NCAA Raleigh Regional teams, joining Campbell and Richmond, ranked outside the GolfStat Top 50. The Big Red defeated the Camels (901) by eight strokes and the Spiders (943) by 50 strokes. Nebraska also knocked off No. 35 North Texas (911) by 18 strokes.

No. 26 Arizona overcame the hosts from No. 46 North Carolina State to capture the NCAA Raleigh Regional title in the final holes of the tournament. The Wildcats blitzed the course with a 281 (-7) on Wednesday to finish at 859 (-5) over three rounds. The Wolfpack managed a 291 to end the tournament at 861 (-3), but could not hold off Arizona. NC State led the tournament from nearly start to finish.

No. 2 Wake Forest finished at even-par 864 to finish third, while No. 38 TCU took fourth at 866 (+2). No. 14 Florida State took fifth at 870 (+6) to claim the last of five berths from the NCAA Raleigh Regional to the upcoming NCAA Championship. No. 50 Purdue just missed an NCAA Championship bid by taking sixth at 873 (+9), while No. 11 Arizona State slipped from second to seventh on the final day of competition with a 302 to close at 874 (+10). No. 21 Florida took eighth at 878 (+14), just ahead of Nebraska.

The 30-team NCAA Championship will be held at Grayhawk Golf Club in (May 19-24) in Scottsdale, Ariz.

NCAA Raleigh Regional
Host: North Carolina State
Lonnie Poole GC (Par 72, 6,324 Yards)
May 8-10, 2023

Final Team Results
1. #26 Arizona - 286-292-281=859 (-5)
2. #46 North Carolina State - 282-289-291=861 (-3)
3. #2 Wake Forest - 292-285-287=864 (E)
4. #38 TCU - 292-288-286=866 (+2)
5. #14 Florida State - 283-296-291=870 (+6)
6. #50 Purdue - 287-291-295=873 (+9)
7. #11 Arizona State - 284-288-302=874 (+10)
8. #21 Florida - 290-293-295=878 (+14)
9. Nebraska - 296-302-295=893 (+29)
10. Campbell - 297-299-305=901 (+37)
11. #35 North Texas - 308-299-304=911 (+47)
12. Richmond - 310-308-325=943 (+79)

Final Individual Results
1. Dorota Zalewska, Chattanooga - 69-66-69=204 (-12)
T2. Julia Misemer, Arizona - 72-68-68=204 (-8)
T2. Lauren Olivares, North Carolina State - 67-71-70=208 (-8)
T4. Ashley Kozlowski, Purdue - 71-72-70=213 (-3)
T4. Morgan Ketchum, Virginia Tech - 72-70-71=213 (-3)
T4. Isabel Amezcua, North Carolina State - 69-70-74=213 (-3)
T7. Emilia Migliaccio, Wake Forest - 72-73-69=214 (-2)
T7. Lois Lao, TCU - 73-71-70=214 (-2)
T7. Sarah Kahn, High Point - 71-72-71=214 (-2)
T7. Lottie Woad, Florida State - 67-73-74=214 (-2)

Nebraska Individuals
T30. Kelli Ann Strand - 74-74-72=220 (+4)
35. Megan Whittaker - 72-76-74=222 (+6)
T42. Miu Takahashi - 74-79-73=226 (+10)
T47. Lindsey Thiele - 76-76-78=230 (+14)
T47. Michaela Vavrova - 78-76-76=230 (+14)