Madi Hicks Takes Individual Lead After Round One of Women’s Golf Summit League Championships

Sunday, April 26, marked the first day of the three-day Summit League Women’s Golf Championship at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Arizona, where senior Madi Hicks holds a one-stroke lead.

Firing a 72(+1), Hicks led the field by being the only golfer to finish with a score better than +2, recording two birdies during her round. Earlier, she received recognition for the All-Summit League First Team honors. Her strong performance is key to keeping the Bison on the road to winning the championship.

Hicks was also named the Summit League Women’s Golf Scholar of the Championship for her 4.0 GPA. This honor is awarded to the participating student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA at each of the league’s 19 championships. This shows the athlete can demonstrate a strong academic performance as well as on the course.

Freshman Jeri Lafleche also had an impressive day, carding a 76(+5), which places her at T-11. This helped keep the Bison within striking distance of the lead. She was selected to the 2026 Summit League All-Freshman Team after her strong debut season that included multiple top 10 finishes.

Posting the third-best score for the Bison was senior Cora Larson with a shot of 77(+6). This has her individually in a four-way tie at T-15. She opened her round with a steady performance to help keep the Bison within striking distance of the leaders.

Avery Bartels, the NDSU Sophomore, finished out the day with a 78(+7), putting her at T-20. Following her successful season, she received the All-Summit League Honorable Mention selection. Bartels is a key part of the lineup for the Bison as they look to move up the leaderboard in Round Two.

Not far behind her was the junior Norah Roberts at T-22, posting a 79(+8). This helped keep the Bison in fourth place as a team. Roberts was also recognized as a 2026 All- Summit League Second Team selection.

As a team, the Bison women are currently in fourth place in the team standings with a score of 303(+19). This places them five shots behind the leader, South Dakota State. The top four squads are tightly packed, with only five strokes separating them.

Round Two is scheduled to begin Monday, April 27. All teams are scheduled to begin teeing off at 7 a.m. MST. For more updates, stay tuned to GoBison.com and The Summit League website.