Lauren Thiele and Hannah Kono earned top-five finishes to lead six Huskers among the top-16 individuals and power the Nebraska women's golf team to the MSU SoCal Spring Invitational championship in Camarillo, Calif., Tuesday.
The victory, which gave the Huskers their third consecutive top-five tournament finish of the spring, marked Nebraska's first team title since capturing the Westbrook Spring Invitational championship, Feb. 26-27, 2023.
Thiele, a redshirt junior from Wahoo, Neb., produced the best tournament of her career with an even-par 213 over 54 holes to bring home runner-up honors on the 5,900-yard, par-71 layout at the Sterling Hills Golf Club. Thiele's tournament featured a career-best 67 (-4) in Monday's second round, including an eagle on the 436-yard, par-5 16th hole. She opened the tournament with a 75 (+4) on Sunday.
Kono, a junior from Enkoping, Sweden, put together a stellar round of 68 (-3) that included an eagle of her own on the par-4, 329-yard 6th hole Tuesday. She added birdies on No. 15 and 18 to go along with 15 pars and a bogey to cap a three-round total of 216 (+3) for a fourth-place finish.
With Thiele and Kono leading the charge, the Huskers totaled 862 (+10) to run away with the team title by 13 strokes ahead of runner-up Notre Dame at 875 (+23). Cal State Northridge took third at 880 (+28), while Cal State Bakersfield finished fourth at 895 (+43).
Lincoln native Olivia Lovegrove added a top-10 finish while playing as an individual outside the Husker lineup. The Lincoln Christian graduate fired a final-round 70 (-1) to close with a three-round total of 218 (+5) in a tie for seventh place.
Redshirt junior Symran Shah added the best tournament performance of her college career with a tie for 10th at 219 (+6). Shah's effort was highlighted by an even-par 71 in Monday's second round, after carding Nebraska's best score of the opening round on Sunday with a 72 (+1).
Freshmen Ailis Tribolet and Kaleigh Babineaux also continued their solid play early in the spring. Tribolet notched her fourth consecutive top-25 finish by tying for 13th at 220 (+7) with solid rounds of 73, 73 and 74.
Babineaux, who produced her sixth consecutive top-25 showing, added a tie for 16th at 221 (+8), including back-to-back rounds of 72 (+1) to close the tournament.
The Huskers will be back in action at the Mountain View Collegiate in Tucson, Ariz., March 20-22.
Nebraska Individual Results
2. Lauren Thiele - 75-67-70=212 (-1)
4. Hannah Kono - 75-73-68=216 (+3)
*T7. Olivia Lovegrove - 75-73-70=218 (+5)
T10. Symran Shah - 72-71-76=219 (+6)
T13. Ailis Tribolet - 73-73-74=220 (+7)
T16. Kaleigh Babineaux - 77-72-72=221 (+8)
* competed as an individual outside Nebraska's lineup
MSU SoCal Spring Invitational
March 8-10, 2026
Camarillo, California (Sterling Hills GC)
Par 71, 5,900 Yards
Final Team Results
1. #76 Nebraska - 295-283-284=862 (+10)
2. #85 Notre Dame -301-285-289=875 (+23)
3. CSU Northridge - 305-276-299=880 (+28)
4. CSU Bakersfield - 300-300-295=895 (+43)
T5. Memphis - 320-289-287=896 (+44)
T5. Murray State -307-293-296=896 (+44)
T5. North Dakota State - 305-298-293=896 (+44)
8. Western Michigan - 304-306-288=898 (+46)
9. Morehead State - 309-300-292=901 (+49)
10. South Dakota - 309-296-306=911 (+59)
11. Lehigh - 304-302-314=920 (+68)
12. Creighton - 317-304-300=921 (+69)
13. Eastern Washington - 308-319-305=932 (+80)
14. Lindenwood - 331-314-321=966 (+114)
15. Providence - 334-333-328=995 (+143)
Final Individual Results
1. Alexsandra Lapple, Notre Dame - 72-67-71=210 (-3)
2. Lauren Thiele, Nebraska - 75-67-70=212 (-1)
3. Kim Turgut, CSU Northridge - 78-65-72=215 (+2)
4. Hannah Kono, Nebraska - 75-73-68=216 (+3)
T5. Nicole Tanoue, CSU Northridge - 73-71-73=217 (+4)
T5. Gracie Piar, CSU Northridge - 78-65-74=217 (+4)
T7. Berkley Ledesma, Eastern Washington - 74-72-72=218 (+5)
*T7. Olivia Lovegrove, Nebraska - 75-73-70=218 (+5)
T7. Avery Bartels, North Dakota State - 72-75-71=218 (+5)
T10. Sarah Mutai, CSU Bakersfield - 74-72-73=219 (+6)
T10. Iris Han, CSU Bakersfield - 73-75-71=219 (+6)
T10. Symran Shah, Nebraska - 72-71-76=219 (+6)
Nebraska Individual Results
2. Lauren Thiele - 75-67-70=212 (-1)
4. Hannah Kono - 75-73-68=216 (+3)
*T7. Olivia Lovegrove - 75-73-70=218 (+5)
T10. Symran Shah - 72-71-76=219 (+6)
T13. Ailis Tribolet - 73-73-74=220 (+7)
T16. Kaleigh Babineaux - 77-72-72=221 (+8)
* competed as an individual outside Nebraska's lineup