Women’s Golf Ends Regular Season with 7 Straight Top-5 Finishes

North Dakota State Women’s Golf finished the 2025-2026 season with its seventh straight finish in the top five at the Bobcat Desert Classic. This streak dates back to September, when the Bison finished seventh in the Diane Invitational, hosted by Iowa. Every other event the Bison took part in resulted in a top-five finish. This season saw two team victories. The first was in the NDSU Invitational to open the year, where NDSU took down rivals USD and UND. Their second victory was in the El Campeon Collegiate, hosted by Lehigh in late February. The team finished with three fourth-place finishes and four fifth-place finishes.

This week’s season finale saw NDSU finish in fifth place behind Seattle, which took the victory in Arizona. Montana State finished in second, and Utah Tech finished third. Wyoming finished just ahead of the Bison in fourth place. NDSU finished with an overall score of 882(+18), and Wyoming finished with an 880(+16). In the first round, NDSU shot their lowest total with a 291(+3), which saw them sitting in fourth place overall. In round two, the Bison took a step back, shooting a 295(+7), falling to fifth place. In the final regular season round of the season, the Bison held on to fifth place with a 296(+8).

On the individual side of the event, NDSU secured top-five finishers. Sophomore Avery Bartles finished her breakout season with a 215(-1), while freshman Jeri Lafleche matched her score. Bartles opened the event with an elite 67(-5), highlighted by an eagle on the sixth hole. Round two saw her step back with a 75(+3), a double bogey on the same hole she got her eagle on, which hurt her overall round. In the final round, she found her footing again with a 73(+1). She had three bogeys and two pars in the final round. Lafleche was more consistent throughout her three rounds, tallying two rounds of an even 72 in the opening and closing rounds. She shot a 71(-1) in the middle round. Lafleche has six birdies to only four bogeys.

For third place on the Bison leader board, junior Hannah Dunk finished in a seven-way tie for 12th place. Dunk shot a 221(+5) through three rounds. She started hot with a 71(-1) with three birdies and a double bogey. In the middle round, Dunk struggled with five bogeys to finish with a 77(+5). She wrapped it up cleanly with a 73 (+1). She shot two birdies and three bogeys.

In another tie, freshman Bella Leonhart and senior Madi Hicks finished in fourth place for the Bison and 26th overall. The pair both had very consistent rounds, with Leonhart having two rounds of 75(+3) in the first and third rounds. Her middle round was a 74(+2). She totaled a 224(+8) with seven birdies. Hicks started with a 76(+4) and answered with back-to-back rounds of 74(+2) with five birdies to wrap up her career with the Bison.

Next up, junior Norah Roberts finished in a tie for 46th place, shooting a 231(+15). Roberts opened the finale with a 79(+7), improving each round with a 75(+3) in the middle and finishing the season with a 77(+5). Roberts shot four birdies in the event. Last but not least is senior Cora Larson, who finished the season in a tie for 52nd place. Larson shot a 233(+17). She showed two solid rounds in the opening and closing. She opened with a 76(+4), but fell behind in the middle with an 80(+8). The closing round was an improvement with a 77(+5). Larson finishes her Bison career with an outstanding season.

NDSU Women’s Golf will wrap up its fantastic season with the Summit League championship taking place on April 26 through April 28.