The Nebraska women’s golf team returns to the course after a month off from competition when the Huskers travel to the Bruin Wave Invitational in Somis, Calif., March 1-3.
The 16-team event begins Monday, March 1 at the Saticoy Golf Club with tee times beginning at 10 a.m. (CT). Tuesday’s second round and Wednesday’s final round also begin with 10 a.m. tee times with live scoring available all three days from GolfStat.com.
The Huskers will take aim at the 6,273-yard, par-72 layout at the Saticoy Club along with a talented field that includes No. 10 Arizona State, No. 17 Northwestern, No. 31 Oregon, No. 35 San Diego State, No. 37 UCLA and No. 39 Colorado among the top 40 teams in the nation according to the most recent GolfStat rankings.
Kate Smith headlines the five-player lineup traveling to California. Nebraska’s fifth-year senior from Detroit Lakes, Minn., is ranked No. 47 nationally by GolfStat and is hunting for her second career NCAA Regional bid. Smith is Nebraska’s career stroke average leader and recently earned an invitation to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship. Smith opened the season with a tie for third individually at the Trinity Forest Invitational in Dallas, Texas, Feb. 1-2. Her performance included a final-round 68.
Freshman Lindsey Thiele (Wahoo, Neb.) and Michaela Vavrova (Bojnice, Slovakia) join graduate transfer Alice Duan (Reno, Nev.) and Megan Whittaker (Elkhorn, Neb.) in completing Nebraska’s lineup. Thiele opened her collegiate career as NU’s No. 2 finisher in Texas, tying for 43rd (232). Duan, a transfer from Washington, finished one shot behind Thiele in 47th (233).
Bruin Wave Invitational
Location: Somis, California
Hosts: UCLA & Pepperdine
Course: The Saticoy Club (Par 72, 6,273 Yards)
Monday, March 1 (Tee Times): 10 a.m. (CT)
Tuesday, March 2 (Tee Times): 10 a.m. (CT)
Wednesday, March 3 (Tee Times): 10 a.m. (CT)
Live Scoring: GolfStat.com
Participating Teams (16)
Arizona State (10)
Cal Poly (59)
Cal State Fullerton (91)
Colorado (39)
Colorado State (104)
Long Beach State (122)
New Mexico (64)
New Mexico State
Nebraska (77)
Northwestern (17)
Oregon (31)
Oregon State (78)
Pepperdine
San Diego State (35)
UCLA (37)
Washington (73)
Nebraska Lineup
1. Kate Smith (RSr., Detroit Lakes, Minnesota)
2. Lindsey Thiele (Fr., Wahoo, Nebraska)
3. Alice Duan (Gr., Reno, Nevada)
4. Michaela Vavrova (Fr., Bojnice, Slovakia)
5. Megan Whittaker (Jr., Elkhorn, Nebraska)
Smith Earns Augusta National Women’s Amateur Invitation
After a series of solid performances during the summer and fall, Nebraska senior Kate Smith earned an invitation to compete in the second annual Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship (March 31-April 3). She was among an elite list of just 72 of the top amateurs in the world to receive a coveted invite to the event when they were sent to golfers in late January.
Smith Shines Despite Abrupt end to True Senior Season in 2020
Despite having her fourth year at Nebraska cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, Kate Smith continued to add to her long list of accomplishments as a Husker golfer.
In the summer of 2020, Smith won the Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Amateur Championship for the second time, before qualifying for the 120th U.S. Women’s Amateur in Rockville, Md.
Smith finished 15th in the stroke play portion of the U.S. Women’s Amateur and advanced to the round of 32 in the match play event. She also went on to be named the Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Co-Player of the Year for 2020.
Smith Claims Nebraska’s First Big Ten Mary Fossum Award
One of the top golfers in Husker history, Kate Smith captured Nebraska’s first Big Ten Mary Fossum Award for owning the best stroke average relative to par among all league golfers in 2019-20. Smith set the Nebraska season record for the third straight year with her 72.18 stroke average.
Smith also became the first Husker to earn All-Big Ten honors since Maddie Sheils earned the award in Nebraska’s first season in the conference in 2012.
Smith was on track to earn an NCAA Regional bid as an individual for the Huskers in 2020, before the coronavirus outbreak brought the spring season to an end.
The NCAA granted seniors an additional year of eligibility, and Smith is planning to take full advantage of the chance for one more season of college golf in 2020-21.
Smith has played 107 rounds and owns a Nebraska-record 73.44 career stroke average.
Cornhusker State Golfers Impact Nebraska 2021 Roster
Nebraska’s 2021 women’s golf roster features a strong Cornhusker State flavor.
Senior Hannah Thiele and her younger sister Lindsey continue a Husker golf family tradition that included their older sister, Haley. The sisters represent the southeast Nebraska town of Wahoo on the Husker roster.
Kirsten Baete provides more southeast Nebraska representation. The redshirt junior from Beatrice has competed in 36 rounds during her Husker career, including a lineup spot in the 2019 Big Ten Championships.
Megan Whittaker (Elkhorn) completes the four Nebraska natives on the Big Red roster. Whittaker has appeared in 38 rounds for the Huskers, including lineup spots at the Trinity Forest Invitational and the Bruin Wave Invitational to open 2021.
Whittaker, who is the daughter of former Husker golfer Kim (Lefler) Whittaker, matched Kate Smith for Nebraska’s top individual finish at the 2019 Big Ten Championships.
In October of 2020, Whittaker won The Harvest at Indian Creek hosted by the Nebraska Golf Association.
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