Three Bison finish in the Top 10, 3rd is the highest team finish since 2018
The North Dakota State University women’s golf team finished in third place at the Summit League Championships this week. Catherine Monty led the Bison, whose second-round 67 vaulted her into a tie for third after that round. Her rounds of 76-67-74 were a career-low 54-hole total of 217 earning her a tie for fifth place. The Stillwater, Minn., native had three birdies in the final round to earn her third top-five finish this season. For her performance, Monty was named to the Summit League’s All-Tournament Team. Denver’s Anna Cathrine Krekling won medalist honors with a nine under par 204 to include a scorching 64 in the final round leading the Pioneers to the Summit League Championship held at Wilderness Ridge Golf Course in Lincoln, Neb.
NDSU opened the tournament with a solid eight-over 283 in round one, good enough for a tie with South Dakota for second place. Both the Bison and Coyotes were seven strokes off the leader, Denver University, who shot a one-over 286 to lead after one round. Leading the Bison in round one was Jo Baranczyk who carded an even-par 71 with two birdies and two bogeys. Just one stroke behind her was 2nd-Team All Summit Player Madi Hicks who finished one over on the day with a 72. Leah Skaar, who has struggled somewhat this spring, came in with a one under par 35 on the front only to see it get away from her on the back nine where she was +5. But the three-over was third best for the NDSU squad.
On Day 2, the Bison, led by Monty, made a move. The sophomore roared through Wilderness Ridge to shoot an even par on the front and tore up the back nine with a round two low 67 to finish -4 and in a tie for third just three strokes off the lead. As a team, the Bison knocked five strokes off their score from the first round and at the end of the day sat in sole possession of second place with a 593, one stroke off Denver’s lead. Madi Hicks remained solid carding a two-over 73 to stay close at +3. Baranczyk, who led the Bison on Day 1, fell back with a four-over 75 to finish six strokes back of the leader.
NDSU’s Catherine Monty watches a putt while competing in the Summit League Championship at Wilderness Ridge in Lincoln, Neb. Monty led the Bison carding a career-low 54-hole total of 217 earning her a tie for fifth place. Photo Courtesy | The Summit League
On the final day, it was Denver’s turn to make the move. The Pioneers shot a blistering -10 to run away from the field and win the tournament. Neither South Dakota nor North Dakota State could keep up with Denver as they distanced themselves from the field. However, NDSU did not play poorly. Elise Hoven led the Bison on Day 3 with a two-under-par 69. Hoven’s rounds of 77-73-69 was a career-low 54-hole score of 219 for her, good for a ninth-place tie.
Finishing in ninth with Hoven was teammate Madi Hicks. Hicks’ rounds of 72-73-74 were the model of consistency for the tournament. The freshman from Victoria, Minn. closed her season with her third consecutive top-10 finish.
Leah Skaar (74-77-74) and Jo Baranczyk (71-75-79) tied for 20th place with 225s.