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Husker Women Claim Second-Straight Team Title at Augustana Twilight
The Nebraska cross country team opened its 2024 season at the 13th annual Augustana Twilight on Friday night.
The Nebraska cross country team opened its 2024 season at the 13th annual Augustana Twilight on Friday night.
The women won the team title with 33 points, led by sophomore Berlyn Schutz, who claimed the individual title with a personal-best 5k time of 16:20.78. Brynna McQuillen crossed the line at 16:50.57 to place third, and Taya Skelton (fifth, 17:11.93) and Cami Merickel (ninth, 17:34.60) joined them in the top 10. Hannah Godwin finished 15th with a 17:43.34 to round out the scoring lineup. South Dakota State finished second in the team competition with 43 points, and Augustana was third with 64.
The men earned a third-place finish with 56 team points. Trevor Acton led the Big Red with an eighth-place finish (18:45.96). Sam Kirchner (18:46.23), Liem Chot (18:46.84) and Dennis Chapman (18:47.04) finished in ninth, 10h and 11th, respectively. Riley Boonstra registered a 19:00.06 in his collegiate debut to place 19th and finish out the scoring for NU. Iowa Western CC finished first with 53 points and South Dakota State was second with 55.
Up Next: The Huskers will compete at the 34th annual Greeno/Dierksen Invitational at the Mahoney Golf Course in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday, Sept. 21. Collegiate competition will start at 10 a.m. (CT).
Women’s Lineup (5k)
1. Berlyn Schutz (16:20.78)
3. Brynna McQuillen (16:50.57)
5. Taya Skelton (17:11.93)
9. Cami Merickel (17:34.60)
15. Hannah Godwin (17:43.34)
28. Jacquelyn Abanses (18:02.79)
36. Zoie Ecord (18:24.93)
Men’s Lineup (4-Mile)
8. Trevor Acton (18:45.96)
9. Sam Kirchner (18:46.23)
10. Liem Chot (18:46.84)
11. Dennis Chapman (18:47.04)
19. Riley Boonstra (19:00.06)
22. Grant Wasserman (19.03.68)
27. Jack Witte (19:15.48)
40. Rico Leijenaar (19:34.52)
63. Colby Erdkamp (19:59.40)
126. Luca Arcuri (20:43.52)
Huskers Open Season at Badger Invitational
A new-look Nebraska women’s golf team opens the 2024-25 season by traveling to the Badger Invitational at the University of Wisconsin, Sept. 8-10.
A Husker roster that features just three returning letterwinners and seven newcomers will try to get the fall campaign off to a good start at the University Ridge Golf Club in Verona, Wis. The Big Red will be part of a 13-team field that includes Big Ten foes Iowa, Rutgers and Wisconsin, along with Augusta, Delaware, FIU, St. Thomas, Sam Houston, South Dakota State, South Florida, UTSA and Yale.
The 54-hole event will feature single rounds each day, beginning on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 9 a.m. (CT) with tee times off 1 and 10 on a par-72, 6,297-yard layout at University Ridge.
Live scoring for the event will be available on Huskers.com from Scoreboard.
Arden Louchheim (pronounced LOCK-hime) earned the No. 1 spot in the Nebraska lineup during pre-tournament qualifying. The sophomore from Park City, Utah, competed in 30 rounds for the Huskers as a true freshman in 2023-24, ranking fifth on the team with a 75.73 stroke average on the year. During the summer, Louchheim was the runner-up at the 2024 Nebraska Women’s Amateur.
Newcomer Hannah Kono claimed the No. 2 position in qualifying. The sophomore from Enkoping, Sweden, transferred to Nebraska after taking sixth at the 2024 Horizon League Championships, while leading Oakland (Mich.) University to the conference title and an automatic berth in the NCAA East Lansing Regional.
Another newcomer, Lauren Thiele (pronounced TEEL), captured the No. 3 lineup spot. The redshirt sophomore from Wahoo, Neb., spent her first two seasons at Wichita State before becoming the fourth Thiele sister to play golf for the Huskers. She produced a 76.80 stroke average for the Shockers over 20 rounds last season.
Nebraska’s two most experienced golfers, Miu Takahashi and Andrea Velez round out the Husker lineup in the 5-count-4 scoring format. Takahashi, a senior from Nasu-machi, Japan, is NU’s top returning golfer after ranking second on the 2023-24 team with a 73.91 stroke average. Takahashi has competed in 98.5 rounds for the Huskers over her first three seasons and ranks No. 3 in career stroke average (74.82) at Nebraska.
Velez, who is entering her fifth season for the Huskers, has played 43.5 rounds over the past three years. The senior from Pereira, Colombia, competed in 26.5 rounds as a sophomore to join Takahashi in helping Nebraska qualify for 2023 NCAA Regional play.
Badger Invitational
Verona, Wisconsin
University Ridge Golf Club (Par 72, 6,306 Yards)
Schedule
Sunday, Sept. 8 (Round 1) - 9 a.m. (CT) - Tee Times (1 & 10)
Monday, Sept. 9 (Round 2) - 9 a.m. (CT) - Tee Times (1 & 10)
Tuesday, Sept. 10 (Round 3) - 9 a.m. (CT) - Shotgun
Live Scoring: Scoreboard.clippd.com
Participating Teams (13)
Augusta, Delaware, FIU, Iowa, Nebraska, Rutgers, St. Thomas, Sam Houston, South Dakota State, South Florida, UTSA, Wisconsin, Yale
A Husker roster that features just three returning letterwinners and seven newcomers will try to get the fall campaign off to a good start at the University Ridge Golf Club in Verona, Wis. The Big Red will be part of a 13-team field that includes Big Ten foes Iowa, Rutgers and Wisconsin, along with Augusta, Delaware, FIU, St. Thomas, Sam Houston, South Dakota State, South Florida, UTSA and Yale.
The 54-hole event will feature single rounds each day, beginning on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 9 a.m. (CT) with tee times off 1 and 10 on a par-72, 6,297-yard layout at University Ridge.
Live scoring for the event will be available on Huskers.com from Scoreboard.
Arden Louchheim (pronounced LOCK-hime) earned the No. 1 spot in the Nebraska lineup during pre-tournament qualifying. The sophomore from Park City, Utah, competed in 30 rounds for the Huskers as a true freshman in 2023-24, ranking fifth on the team with a 75.73 stroke average on the year. During the summer, Louchheim was the runner-up at the 2024 Nebraska Women’s Amateur.
Newcomer Hannah Kono claimed the No. 2 position in qualifying. The sophomore from Enkoping, Sweden, transferred to Nebraska after taking sixth at the 2024 Horizon League Championships, while leading Oakland (Mich.) University to the conference title and an automatic berth in the NCAA East Lansing Regional.
Another newcomer, Lauren Thiele (pronounced TEEL), captured the No. 3 lineup spot. The redshirt sophomore from Wahoo, Neb., spent her first two seasons at Wichita State before becoming the fourth Thiele sister to play golf for the Huskers. She produced a 76.80 stroke average for the Shockers over 20 rounds last season.
Nebraska’s two most experienced golfers, Miu Takahashi and Andrea Velez round out the Husker lineup in the 5-count-4 scoring format. Takahashi, a senior from Nasu-machi, Japan, is NU’s top returning golfer after ranking second on the 2023-24 team with a 73.91 stroke average. Takahashi has competed in 98.5 rounds for the Huskers over her first three seasons and ranks No. 3 in career stroke average (74.82) at Nebraska.
Velez, who is entering her fifth season for the Huskers, has played 43.5 rounds over the past three years. The senior from Pereira, Colombia, competed in 26.5 rounds as a sophomore to join Takahashi in helping Nebraska qualify for 2023 NCAA Regional play.
Badger Invitational
Verona, Wisconsin
University Ridge Golf Club (Par 72, 6,306 Yards)
Schedule
Sunday, Sept. 8 (Round 1) - 9 a.m. (CT) - Tee Times (1 & 10)
Monday, Sept. 9 (Round 2) - 9 a.m. (CT) - Tee Times (1 & 10)
Tuesday, Sept. 10 (Round 3) - 9 a.m. (CT) - Shotgun
Live Scoring: Scoreboard.clippd.com
Participating Teams (13)
Augusta, Delaware, FIU, Iowa, Nebraska, Rutgers, St. Thomas, Sam Houston, South Dakota State, South Florida, UTSA, Wisconsin, Yale
Nebraska Lineup
1. Arden Louchheim, So., Park City, Utah
2. Hannah Kono, So., Enkoping, Sweden
3. Lauren Thiele, RSo., Wahoo, Neb.
4. Miu Takahashi, Sr., Nasu-machi, Japan
5. Andrea Velez, Sr., Pereira, Colombia
Individual - Symran Shah, RSo., Carrollton, Texas
Sutherland Leads Third Husker Team in Hunt for Regional Appearance
1. Arden Louchheim, So., Park City, Utah
2. Hannah Kono, So., Enkoping, Sweden
3. Lauren Thiele, RSo., Wahoo, Neb.
4. Miu Takahashi, Sr., Nasu-machi, Japan
5. Andrea Velez, Sr., Pereira, Colombia
Individual - Symran Shah, RSo., Carrollton, Texas
Sutherland Leads Third Husker Team in Hunt for Regional Appearance
Nebraska Head Coach Jeanne Sutherland has helped at least one Husker golfer to an NCAA Regional appearance in all three of her seasons at Nebraska, including the past two seasons as head coach.
Sutherland, who spent one season as Nebraska’s associate head coach (2021-22), was named head coach on May 5, 2022. She came to Nebraska after spending 10 seasons (2011-21) as the head coach at SMU. She previously spent 15 seasons as the head coach at Texas A&M (1992-2007). She has led 19 teams to NCAA Regional qualification.
Sutherland has coached three All-Americans, five individual conference champions and three conference players of the year.
In 2018, Sutherland was named the inaugural winner of the WGCA Kim Evans Award. She also earned the WGCA Founders Award in 2017. A four-time conference coach of the year at Texas A&M (3 Big 12, 1 Southwest Conference), Sutherland was also a two-time NCAA Regional Coach of the Year (1997, 2007). She led 13 Texas A&M teams to NCAA Regional play, including four NCAA Championship appearances in 1997 (17th), 2004 (24th), 2005 (22nd) and 2006 (19th).
Sutherland coached SMU to five straight NCAA bids (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017).
Takahashi Headlines Group of Five Returning Huskers in 2024-25
Nebraska’s most experienced golfer, Miu Takahashi leads the Huskers into the 2024-25 season. The senior from Nasu-machi, Japan, ranks third in NU history with a 74.82 stroke average over 98.5 career rounds entering her fourth season in the Big Red lineup.
Takahashi was a key player in helping the Huskers qualify for the 2023 NCAA Raleigh Regional, posting a 73.49 stroke average over 37.5 rounds as a sophomore.
She owns nine career top-25 finishes, including five top-10 showings with her first career tournament title at the 2022 Dale McNamara Invitational.
Takahashi was also the first international golfer to be named the Nebraska Women’s Amateur of the Year in 2023, after winning the 49th Nebraska Women’s Amateur Championship.
She also qualified for the 123rd U.S. Women’s Amateur in 2023, carding rounds of 78 and 73 in Los Angeles.
Takahashi produced a 73.91 stroke average over 32 rounds in 2023-24, including a career-best 211 (-5) to tie for 29th at the Westbrook Spring Invitational (Feb. 25-26).
Nebraska’s four other returning golfers for the 2024-25 season include fifth-year senior Andrea Velez, redshirt junior/graduate student Brooke Bream, sophomore Arden Louchheim and redshirt freshman Mackenzie Bream.
Those four Huskers have combined for 79.5 collegiate rounds.
Trio of Transfers Ready to Make Instant Impact for the Big Red
Division I transfers Hannah Kono (Oakland), Lauren Thiele (Wichita State) and Symran Shah (Virginia Tech) earned spots among Nebraska’s top six golfers in qualifying for the season-opening Badger Invitational (Sept. 8-10).
Kono, who finished sixth at the 2024 Horizon League Championships, was Nebraska’s No. 2 qualifier. The sophomore from Enkoping, Sweden, was a two-time Horizon League Golfer of the Week during the spring season while helping the Golden Grizzlies win the conference tournament title and qualify for 2024 NCAA Regional play.
Thiele was the No. 2 golfer for the Shockers with a 76.07 spring stroke average last season. The redshirt sophomore from Wahoo, Neb., earned Nebraska’s No. 3 position in pre-tournament qualifying for the Badger Invitational. She continues the richest family tradition in Nebraska women’s golf as the fourth sister to earn a lineup spot for the Huskers, following her older sisters, Haley (2016-20), Hannah (2018-20) and Lindsey (2021-24). The 2024-25 campaign marks the 10th consecutive season that a Thiele sister has been on the Big Red roster.
Shah comes to Lincoln after a redshirt season at Virginia Tech in 2023-24. The redshirt sophomore from Carrollton, Texas, played two rounds for the Hokies as a freshman in 2022-23. Shah’s older sister, Serena, played for Coach Jeanne Sutherland at SMU.
Four Talented Freshmen Preparing to Contribute for Huskers in 2024-25
Nebraska’s freshman class features the top high school golfer in Iowa, one of the best young golfers in Nebraska, an all-state golfer from Texas and a talented player from Illinois.
The four youngest Huskers combined for four individual state championships and five state team titles during their prep careers.
Four-time Iowa High School Athletic Union Player-of-theYear Eden Lohrbach was a three-time Iowa Class 3A state individual champion at Ames High School.
Four-time Nebraska Class C all-state choice Olivia Lovegrove from Lincoln Christian High School has been a rising star in the Cornhusker State. The 2022 Class C individual state champion, Lovegrove added a runner-up individual finish as a senior in 2023. She was also a three-time Nebraska Super-State selection. In the summer of 2024, Lovegrove was the Nebraska Girls Amateur runner-up.
Bridget Butler (Barrington, Ill.) and Danica Lundgren (Austin, Texas) also bring strong credentials to Nebraska. Butler was a three-time all-conference and all-regional golfer while helping Barrington High School to a Class 2A state championship in 2021.
Lundgren was the 2023 Southern Texas PGA Junior Golfer of the Year and captured 55 Southern Texas PGA titles from 2015 to 2023. She was also a first-team Texas University Interscholastic League (UIL) Class 6A all-state selection in 2023 at Vandegrift High School. She helped Vandegrift to state team championships in 2023 and 2024.
Huskers Replacing Three of Top Five Golfers From 2024-25 Campaign
In order to earn its third NCAA Regional bid in five seasons, the Huskers must successfully replace three of their top-five golfers from a year ago, including two-time NCAA Regional-qualifier Kelli Ann Strand.
Strand, a two-time All-Big Ten choice, bypassed her final two seasons of collegiate eligibility to pursue a professional career.
Strand, who was also a two-time WGCA Scholastic All-American and a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, has made four cuts in five starts on the Epson Tour. She has made $14,100, including a tie for seventh in her first career top-10 finish at the Island Resort Championship in Harris, Mich. (June 21-23). She opened with a tie for 12th at the Copper Rock Championship in Hurricane, Utah (May 16-18) and added a tie for 25th at the Otter Creek Championship in Columbus, Ind. (June 14-16).
The Huskers also lost four-year starters Michaela Vavrova and Lindsey Thiele to graduation.
Vavrova competed in 112.5 rounds while helping the Huskers to NCAA Regional appearances in 2021 and 2023. She produced a 75.70 career stroke average, including a career-best 74.48 average over 29 rounds a year ago. She was a two-time Slovakian Player of the Year (2022, 2023).
Thiele added 94.5 rounds over the past four seasons, including a career-best 74.04 stroke average as a senior. The four-time WGCA Scholastic All-American helped the Huskers to NCAA Regional bids in 2021 and 2023, while also earning a Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship. She was also Nebraska’s Female Heart & Soul Award winner as the most dedicated student-athlete across all sports to Nebraska’s Life Skills program.
Nebraska Owns Four-Year Streak with NCAA Regional Presence
Kelli Ann Strand’s 2024 NCAA Cle Elum Regional bid marked the fourth consecutive year that the Nebraska women’s golf program had at least one representative in NCAA Regional competition. Her tie for 24th marked Nebraska’s best individual regional finish since 2008.
In 2023, Nebraska qualified as a team to the NCAA Raleigh Regional, which marked Nebraska’s 13th all-time NCAA Regional berth dating back to the 1994 NCAA West Regional.
The Huskers, who finished ninth at the 12-team NCAA Raleigh Regional, also competed at the 2021 NCAA Columbus Regional, tying for 15th in an 18-team field in Ohio.
In 2022, Kirsten Baete represented Nebraska at the NCAA Stanford Regional. Baete tied for 30th with a three-round total of 220 (75-76-69).
The Huskers made regional appearances in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2021.
Nebraska’s highest regional finish came with a fifth-place finish in a 21-team field at the 2003 NCAA Central Regional at Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln. The Huskers advanced to NCAA Championship appearances in 2000 (19th), 2003 (22nd) and 2006 (20th).
Huskers Set Pace in Classroom
Nebraska leads the Big Ten and ranks second in NCAA Division I with 362 College Sports Communicators Academic All-Americans all-time across all sports. The Huskers also lead all schools in history with 18 NCAA Top 10 Award winners across all sports.
Nebraska women’s golf leads the nation with 98 WGCA Scholastic All-Americans since 1989, including four in 2023-24. Lena Hassert, Arden Louchheim, Kelli Ann Strand and Lindsey Thiele all earned WGCA honors in 2023-24. In addition, transfers Hannah Kono and Lauren Thiele earned WGCA Scholastic All-America awards last season at their schools.
Sutherland, who spent one season as Nebraska’s associate head coach (2021-22), was named head coach on May 5, 2022. She came to Nebraska after spending 10 seasons (2011-21) as the head coach at SMU. She previously spent 15 seasons as the head coach at Texas A&M (1992-2007). She has led 19 teams to NCAA Regional qualification.
Sutherland has coached three All-Americans, five individual conference champions and three conference players of the year.
In 2018, Sutherland was named the inaugural winner of the WGCA Kim Evans Award. She also earned the WGCA Founders Award in 2017. A four-time conference coach of the year at Texas A&M (3 Big 12, 1 Southwest Conference), Sutherland was also a two-time NCAA Regional Coach of the Year (1997, 2007). She led 13 Texas A&M teams to NCAA Regional play, including four NCAA Championship appearances in 1997 (17th), 2004 (24th), 2005 (22nd) and 2006 (19th).
Sutherland coached SMU to five straight NCAA bids (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017).
Takahashi Headlines Group of Five Returning Huskers in 2024-25
Nebraska’s most experienced golfer, Miu Takahashi leads the Huskers into the 2024-25 season. The senior from Nasu-machi, Japan, ranks third in NU history with a 74.82 stroke average over 98.5 career rounds entering her fourth season in the Big Red lineup.
Takahashi was a key player in helping the Huskers qualify for the 2023 NCAA Raleigh Regional, posting a 73.49 stroke average over 37.5 rounds as a sophomore.
She owns nine career top-25 finishes, including five top-10 showings with her first career tournament title at the 2022 Dale McNamara Invitational.
Takahashi was also the first international golfer to be named the Nebraska Women’s Amateur of the Year in 2023, after winning the 49th Nebraska Women’s Amateur Championship.
She also qualified for the 123rd U.S. Women’s Amateur in 2023, carding rounds of 78 and 73 in Los Angeles.
Takahashi produced a 73.91 stroke average over 32 rounds in 2023-24, including a career-best 211 (-5) to tie for 29th at the Westbrook Spring Invitational (Feb. 25-26).
Nebraska’s four other returning golfers for the 2024-25 season include fifth-year senior Andrea Velez, redshirt junior/graduate student Brooke Bream, sophomore Arden Louchheim and redshirt freshman Mackenzie Bream.
Those four Huskers have combined for 79.5 collegiate rounds.
Trio of Transfers Ready to Make Instant Impact for the Big Red
Division I transfers Hannah Kono (Oakland), Lauren Thiele (Wichita State) and Symran Shah (Virginia Tech) earned spots among Nebraska’s top six golfers in qualifying for the season-opening Badger Invitational (Sept. 8-10).
Kono, who finished sixth at the 2024 Horizon League Championships, was Nebraska’s No. 2 qualifier. The sophomore from Enkoping, Sweden, was a two-time Horizon League Golfer of the Week during the spring season while helping the Golden Grizzlies win the conference tournament title and qualify for 2024 NCAA Regional play.
Thiele was the No. 2 golfer for the Shockers with a 76.07 spring stroke average last season. The redshirt sophomore from Wahoo, Neb., earned Nebraska’s No. 3 position in pre-tournament qualifying for the Badger Invitational. She continues the richest family tradition in Nebraska women’s golf as the fourth sister to earn a lineup spot for the Huskers, following her older sisters, Haley (2016-20), Hannah (2018-20) and Lindsey (2021-24). The 2024-25 campaign marks the 10th consecutive season that a Thiele sister has been on the Big Red roster.
Shah comes to Lincoln after a redshirt season at Virginia Tech in 2023-24. The redshirt sophomore from Carrollton, Texas, played two rounds for the Hokies as a freshman in 2022-23. Shah’s older sister, Serena, played for Coach Jeanne Sutherland at SMU.
Four Talented Freshmen Preparing to Contribute for Huskers in 2024-25
Nebraska’s freshman class features the top high school golfer in Iowa, one of the best young golfers in Nebraska, an all-state golfer from Texas and a talented player from Illinois.
The four youngest Huskers combined for four individual state championships and five state team titles during their prep careers.
Four-time Iowa High School Athletic Union Player-of-theYear Eden Lohrbach was a three-time Iowa Class 3A state individual champion at Ames High School.
Four-time Nebraska Class C all-state choice Olivia Lovegrove from Lincoln Christian High School has been a rising star in the Cornhusker State. The 2022 Class C individual state champion, Lovegrove added a runner-up individual finish as a senior in 2023. She was also a three-time Nebraska Super-State selection. In the summer of 2024, Lovegrove was the Nebraska Girls Amateur runner-up.
Bridget Butler (Barrington, Ill.) and Danica Lundgren (Austin, Texas) also bring strong credentials to Nebraska. Butler was a three-time all-conference and all-regional golfer while helping Barrington High School to a Class 2A state championship in 2021.
Lundgren was the 2023 Southern Texas PGA Junior Golfer of the Year and captured 55 Southern Texas PGA titles from 2015 to 2023. She was also a first-team Texas University Interscholastic League (UIL) Class 6A all-state selection in 2023 at Vandegrift High School. She helped Vandegrift to state team championships in 2023 and 2024.
Huskers Replacing Three of Top Five Golfers From 2024-25 Campaign
In order to earn its third NCAA Regional bid in five seasons, the Huskers must successfully replace three of their top-five golfers from a year ago, including two-time NCAA Regional-qualifier Kelli Ann Strand.
Strand, a two-time All-Big Ten choice, bypassed her final two seasons of collegiate eligibility to pursue a professional career.
Strand, who was also a two-time WGCA Scholastic All-American and a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, has made four cuts in five starts on the Epson Tour. She has made $14,100, including a tie for seventh in her first career top-10 finish at the Island Resort Championship in Harris, Mich. (June 21-23). She opened with a tie for 12th at the Copper Rock Championship in Hurricane, Utah (May 16-18) and added a tie for 25th at the Otter Creek Championship in Columbus, Ind. (June 14-16).
The Huskers also lost four-year starters Michaela Vavrova and Lindsey Thiele to graduation.
Vavrova competed in 112.5 rounds while helping the Huskers to NCAA Regional appearances in 2021 and 2023. She produced a 75.70 career stroke average, including a career-best 74.48 average over 29 rounds a year ago. She was a two-time Slovakian Player of the Year (2022, 2023).
Thiele added 94.5 rounds over the past four seasons, including a career-best 74.04 stroke average as a senior. The four-time WGCA Scholastic All-American helped the Huskers to NCAA Regional bids in 2021 and 2023, while also earning a Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship. She was also Nebraska’s Female Heart & Soul Award winner as the most dedicated student-athlete across all sports to Nebraska’s Life Skills program.
Nebraska Owns Four-Year Streak with NCAA Regional Presence
Kelli Ann Strand’s 2024 NCAA Cle Elum Regional bid marked the fourth consecutive year that the Nebraska women’s golf program had at least one representative in NCAA Regional competition. Her tie for 24th marked Nebraska’s best individual regional finish since 2008.
In 2023, Nebraska qualified as a team to the NCAA Raleigh Regional, which marked Nebraska’s 13th all-time NCAA Regional berth dating back to the 1994 NCAA West Regional.
The Huskers, who finished ninth at the 12-team NCAA Raleigh Regional, also competed at the 2021 NCAA Columbus Regional, tying for 15th in an 18-team field in Ohio.
In 2022, Kirsten Baete represented Nebraska at the NCAA Stanford Regional. Baete tied for 30th with a three-round total of 220 (75-76-69).
The Huskers made regional appearances in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2021.
Nebraska’s highest regional finish came with a fifth-place finish in a 21-team field at the 2003 NCAA Central Regional at Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln. The Huskers advanced to NCAA Championship appearances in 2000 (19th), 2003 (22nd) and 2006 (20th).
Huskers Set Pace in Classroom
Nebraska leads the Big Ten and ranks second in NCAA Division I with 362 College Sports Communicators Academic All-Americans all-time across all sports. The Huskers also lead all schools in history with 18 NCAA Top 10 Award winners across all sports.
Nebraska women’s golf leads the nation with 98 WGCA Scholastic All-Americans since 1989, including four in 2023-24. Lena Hassert, Arden Louchheim, Kelli Ann Strand and Lindsey Thiele all earned WGCA honors in 2023-24. In addition, transfers Hannah Kono and Lauren Thiele earned WGCA Scholastic All-America awards last season at their schools.
Husker women’s golf owns a 100 percent graduation success rate.
Huskers Swing Into Season at Gopher Invitational
The Nebraska men’s golf team tees off for the 2024-25 season this weekend at the Gopher Invitational in Minnesota.
Action in the two-day, 54-hole event at the Windsong Farm Golf Club in Independence begins on Sunday, Sept. 8, with two rounds starting with tee times at 7:15 a.m. (CT). The tournament concludes with the final round on Monday beginning again at 7:15 a.m. (CT).
The 15-team Gopher Invitational field includes, Big Ten foes Iowa, Minnesota and Rutgers, along with Baylor, Furman, Georgia Southern, Iowa State, Kent State, Marquette, New Mexico, Northern Illinois, St. Thomas, UNC Wilmington and West Virginia.
The Huskers head into the season behind the leadership of graduate student Reed Malleck and senior Hamish Murray.
Murray, a second-year Husker from Sydney, Australia, led Nebraska with a 72.69 stroke average a year ago. The transfer from Cameron University produced five top-25 finishes.
Malleck, a fifth-year Husker from York, Neb., added a 74.29 stroke average over 17 rounds. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Nebraska as a finance major before becoming the first Husker men’s golfer since 2009 to win the Nebraska Amateur Championship in the summer of 2024. He held off Murray by one stroke for the title.
Evan McDermott, a redshirt sophomore from Spring Lake, Mich., claimed the top spot in the Husker lineup in Minnesota, while true freshman James Ackerman (Leawood, Kan.) earned the No. 2 position in pre-tournament qualifying.
They are joined by newcomer Rudy Sautron in the Big Red lineup in Minnesota. Sautron, a sophomore from Reunion Island, France, followed Murray as a Cameron University transfer. He was a member of the NCAA Division II GCAA All-Freshman team a year ago. He produced eight top-10 finishes in 11 tournaments as a freshman.
Live updates and scoring for the Gopher Invitational can be found at HuskersGolf on Instagram and X, and Scoreboard.clippd.com. Complete coverage can be found at Huskers.com.
Gopher Invitational
Independence, Minnesota
Windsong Farm Golf Club (Par 71, 7,586 Yards)
Action in the two-day, 54-hole event at the Windsong Farm Golf Club in Independence begins on Sunday, Sept. 8, with two rounds starting with tee times at 7:15 a.m. (CT). The tournament concludes with the final round on Monday beginning again at 7:15 a.m. (CT).
The 15-team Gopher Invitational field includes, Big Ten foes Iowa, Minnesota and Rutgers, along with Baylor, Furman, Georgia Southern, Iowa State, Kent State, Marquette, New Mexico, Northern Illinois, St. Thomas, UNC Wilmington and West Virginia.
The Huskers head into the season behind the leadership of graduate student Reed Malleck and senior Hamish Murray.
Murray, a second-year Husker from Sydney, Australia, led Nebraska with a 72.69 stroke average a year ago. The transfer from Cameron University produced five top-25 finishes.
Malleck, a fifth-year Husker from York, Neb., added a 74.29 stroke average over 17 rounds. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Nebraska as a finance major before becoming the first Husker men’s golfer since 2009 to win the Nebraska Amateur Championship in the summer of 2024. He held off Murray by one stroke for the title.
Evan McDermott, a redshirt sophomore from Spring Lake, Mich., claimed the top spot in the Husker lineup in Minnesota, while true freshman James Ackerman (Leawood, Kan.) earned the No. 2 position in pre-tournament qualifying.
They are joined by newcomer Rudy Sautron in the Big Red lineup in Minnesota. Sautron, a sophomore from Reunion Island, France, followed Murray as a Cameron University transfer. He was a member of the NCAA Division II GCAA All-Freshman team a year ago. He produced eight top-10 finishes in 11 tournaments as a freshman.
Live updates and scoring for the Gopher Invitational can be found at HuskersGolf on Instagram and X, and Scoreboard.clippd.com. Complete coverage can be found at Huskers.com.
Gopher Invitational
Independence, Minnesota
Windsong Farm Golf Club (Par 71, 7,586 Yards)
Schedule
Sunday, Sept. 8 (Rounds 1 & 2) - 7:15 a.m. (CT) - Tee Times (1 & 10)
Monday, Sept. 9 (Round 3) - 7:15 a.m. (CT) - Tee Times (1 & 10)
Sunday, Sept. 8 (Rounds 1 & 2) - 7:15 a.m. (CT) - Tee Times (1 & 10)
Monday, Sept. 9 (Round 3) - 7:15 a.m. (CT) - Tee Times (1 & 10)
Live Scoring: Scoreboard.clippd.com
Participating Teams (15)
Baylor, Furman, Georgia Southern, Iowa, Iowa State, Kent State, Marquette, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Northern Illinois, Rutgers, St. Thomas, UNC Wilmington, West Virginia
Baylor, Furman, Georgia Southern, Iowa, Iowa State, Kent State, Marquette, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Northern Illinois, Rutgers, St. Thomas, UNC Wilmington, West Virginia
Nebraska Lineup
1. Evan McDermott, RSo., Spring Lake, Michigan
2. James Ackerman, Fr., Leawood, Kansas
3. Rudy Sautron, So., Reunion Island, France
4. Hamish Murray, Sr., Sydney, Australia
5. Reed Malleck, Gr., York, Nebraska
Individual - Jackson Benge, Fr., Omaha, Nebraska
Murray Opens NU Career with Five Top 20 Finishes
Hamish Murray provided Nebraska with its most consistent presence in 2023-24, posting eight consecutive top-35 individual finishes.
Murray opened his Husker career with three straight top-20 finishes, including a season-best tie for ninth in his Nebraska debut at the Bearcat Invitational (Sept. 18-19, 2023). He closed with a three-round score of 211 (-2) on a par-71, 7,279-yard layout at the Coldstream Country Club in Cincinnati.
Murray produced a tie for 19th with a 215 (-1) at the Badger Invitational in Wisconsin (Oct. 1-3), before tying for 17th at Purdue with a 214 (+1).
Murray closed the fall with a tie for 33rd with an even-par 216 at the Everett Buick GMC Classic in Little Rock, Ark., Oct. 16-17.
He added his fourth top-20 effort by tying for 19th at 146 (73-73) in the rain-shortened Battle at Briar’s Creek in South Carolina (Feb. 5-6). He added another tie for 19th with a 214 (-2) to lead NU at The Johnnie-O at Sea Island (March 11-12).
He closed the year with a team-best 72.69 stroke average over 29 rounds.
During the summer of 2024, Murray was the runner-up at the Nebraska Amateur Championship with a four-round total of 274 (-10), trailing only champion Reed Malleck (273, -11).
Murray, who was a 2024 GCAA Scholar All-American and a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District VII selection, also took time during the summer to participate in the Nebraska Life Skills No Filter Service Trip Abroad to Panama.
Murray was ranked among the top 50 golfers in NCAA Division II by Golfstat in 2022-23 and was the Cameron Athlete of the Year across all sports.
Malleck Leads Husker Sweep at 116th Nebraska Amateur
Reed Malleck fired a final-round 69 to end with a winning four-round total of 273 (-11) to capture the Nebraska Amateur Championship at the Fremont Golf Club (July 19).
Malleck, a four-year letterman for the Huskers entering the 2024-25 season, put together four consistent rounds (68-68-68-69) to work his way to his first Nebraska Amateur title. Malleck was the 2020 Nebraska Junior Match Play champion, and the 2022 Nebraska Match Player runner-up.
He led a Husker sweep of the top three spots at the 116th Nebraska Amateur by holding off teammate Hamish Murray (Sydney, Australia) who finished one shot back at 274 (-10), including a final-round 70 (-1).
Evan McDermott (Spring Lake, Michigan), a redshirt sophomore for the Huskers in 2024-25, added a third-place finish at 277 (-7), including a final-round 69 (-2).
Grant Jabenis, a 2024-25 Husker senior out of Omaha Westside, added a fifth-place finish at 279 (-5) including a final-round 68 (-3), which matched Johnny Spellerberg for Friday’s best round among the 60 competitors.
Freshman Jackson Benge added a strong showing with a tie for 14th at 285 (+1). Benge is also an Omaha Westside graduate.
Malleck became the 32nd Husker golfer in history to win the Nebraska Amateur Championship, but the first Husker to win the title since Brandon Crick in 2009.
Husker Roster Features Growing Collection of Experienced Leaders
Nebraska’s 11-man roster for 2024-25 features a growing group of experienced, high-character leaders both on and off the course.
Graduate student Reed Malleck returns for his fifth competitive season hoping to help lead the Huskers to an NCAA Regional berth. The reigning Nebraska Amateur champion, Malleck has represented the Huskers twice at the Big Ten Championship. The three-time Academic All-Big Ten choice was a 2024 GCAA Scholar All-American and Nebraska’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner in 2023, before earning his bachelor’s degree in finance from Nebraska in May of 2024.
Senior Hamish Murray has been a leader on the course, in the classroom and the community. The second-year Husker led Nebraska with five top-25 finishes a year ago before adding GCAA Scholar All-America honors. He was also Nebraska’s 2024 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner.
Senior Grant Jabenis adds more leadership skills on and off the course. Jabenis has competed in 26 rounds for the Huskers the past two seasons, including an appearance at the 2023 Big Ten Championships. He was also a 2024 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.
Juniors Quinn Yost (38 rounds) and Davis Johnson (26 rounds) add substantial experience by combining for 64 rounds on the course in their first two seasons at Nebraska. Yost was a 2024 GCAA Scholar All-American, while Johnson has competed for the Big Red at both the 2023 and 2024 Big Ten Championships while adding Academic All-Big Ten accolades.
Evan McDermott, who redshirted in his second season at Nebraska in 2023-24, also has seen significant playing time. The redshirt sophomore has competed in 20 rounds, while adding Academic All-Big Ten honors as a mechanical engineering major in 2024.
Nebraska Adds Three Talented Freshmen in 2024-25
A trio of talented freshmen join the mix in a balanced Husker roster in 2024-25. Jackson Benge (Omaha, Neb.), James Ackerman (Leawood, Kan.) and Brodie Cunningham (Glasgow, Scotland) signed their letters of intent to join the Nebraska men’s golf program on Nov. 8, 2023.
“I’m extremely excited to have Jackson, James and Brodie join our program,” Nebraska Coach Judd Cornell said. “They have proven they can play at the highest level of college golf. All three bring plenty of experience and are well in tune with their golf games, so I expect them to make immediate impacts. All three are outstanding students and come from great families. We have a great culture in our program and these three will add to that. I’m really excited for them. They will have a great experience at Nebraska”
Benge brings a rich family tradition with him from Nebraska high school power Omaha Westside. Benge, whose mother Amy (Roux) was a standout on the Husker women’s golf team, helped the Warriors to back-to-back Class A state team titles in 2023 and 2024. The 2022 Nebraska Junior Match Play champion, Benge was a two-time Class A all-state selection (2022, 2023) and qualified for the 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur. He is also the cousin of Gold Glove winner and World Series champion Alex Gordon, and the nephew of Nebraska men’s gym All-American Ted Harris.
Ackerman was the 2023 Kansas Class 6A Player of the Year after leading Blue Valley High School to back-to-back state team titles in 2021 and 2022. Ackerman also competed at the 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur in Oregon.
Cunningham comes to Nebraska after capturing back-to-back Barrie Douglas Scottish Junior Masters championships in 2023 and 2024. He competed at the Scottish Men’s Open Championship at Muirfield in May of 2024, putting together rounds of 72 and 73.
Sautron Poised to Make Immediate Impact for Huskers
One of the top newcomers in NCAA Division II in 2023-24, Rudy Sautron joins the Huskers for the 2024-25 season after signing with Nebraska in early March.
The former vice champion of France was named to the Golf Coaches Association of America Division II All-Freshman Team after producing eight top-10 finishes in 11 tournaments.
“Rudy is a strong young player and a great student,” Cornell said. “He has a year of college golf under his belt, so that experience should help him moving forward to Division I golf. I’m very excited to watch him develop the next three years and gain experience at the highest level. He has all the skills to be a phenomenal player.”
Sautron claimed one of five spots on the NCAA Division II All-Freshman Team selected by the GCAA after qualifying as an individual to the NCAA Division II West/South Central Super Regional. He was also named to the Division II PING All-South Central Region team.
Sautron followed former Cameron golfer Hamish Murray to Nebraska, after Murray joined the Huskers for the 2023-24 season. Sautron and Murray were not teammates at Cameron.
1. Evan McDermott, RSo., Spring Lake, Michigan
2. James Ackerman, Fr., Leawood, Kansas
3. Rudy Sautron, So., Reunion Island, France
4. Hamish Murray, Sr., Sydney, Australia
5. Reed Malleck, Gr., York, Nebraska
Individual - Jackson Benge, Fr., Omaha, Nebraska
Murray Opens NU Career with Five Top 20 Finishes
Hamish Murray provided Nebraska with its most consistent presence in 2023-24, posting eight consecutive top-35 individual finishes.
Murray opened his Husker career with three straight top-20 finishes, including a season-best tie for ninth in his Nebraska debut at the Bearcat Invitational (Sept. 18-19, 2023). He closed with a three-round score of 211 (-2) on a par-71, 7,279-yard layout at the Coldstream Country Club in Cincinnati.
Murray produced a tie for 19th with a 215 (-1) at the Badger Invitational in Wisconsin (Oct. 1-3), before tying for 17th at Purdue with a 214 (+1).
Murray closed the fall with a tie for 33rd with an even-par 216 at the Everett Buick GMC Classic in Little Rock, Ark., Oct. 16-17.
He added his fourth top-20 effort by tying for 19th at 146 (73-73) in the rain-shortened Battle at Briar’s Creek in South Carolina (Feb. 5-6). He added another tie for 19th with a 214 (-2) to lead NU at The Johnnie-O at Sea Island (March 11-12).
He closed the year with a team-best 72.69 stroke average over 29 rounds.
During the summer of 2024, Murray was the runner-up at the Nebraska Amateur Championship with a four-round total of 274 (-10), trailing only champion Reed Malleck (273, -11).
Murray, who was a 2024 GCAA Scholar All-American and a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District VII selection, also took time during the summer to participate in the Nebraska Life Skills No Filter Service Trip Abroad to Panama.
Murray was ranked among the top 50 golfers in NCAA Division II by Golfstat in 2022-23 and was the Cameron Athlete of the Year across all sports.
Malleck Leads Husker Sweep at 116th Nebraska Amateur
Reed Malleck fired a final-round 69 to end with a winning four-round total of 273 (-11) to capture the Nebraska Amateur Championship at the Fremont Golf Club (July 19).
Malleck, a four-year letterman for the Huskers entering the 2024-25 season, put together four consistent rounds (68-68-68-69) to work his way to his first Nebraska Amateur title. Malleck was the 2020 Nebraska Junior Match Play champion, and the 2022 Nebraska Match Player runner-up.
He led a Husker sweep of the top three spots at the 116th Nebraska Amateur by holding off teammate Hamish Murray (Sydney, Australia) who finished one shot back at 274 (-10), including a final-round 70 (-1).
Evan McDermott (Spring Lake, Michigan), a redshirt sophomore for the Huskers in 2024-25, added a third-place finish at 277 (-7), including a final-round 69 (-2).
Grant Jabenis, a 2024-25 Husker senior out of Omaha Westside, added a fifth-place finish at 279 (-5) including a final-round 68 (-3), which matched Johnny Spellerberg for Friday’s best round among the 60 competitors.
Freshman Jackson Benge added a strong showing with a tie for 14th at 285 (+1). Benge is also an Omaha Westside graduate.
Malleck became the 32nd Husker golfer in history to win the Nebraska Amateur Championship, but the first Husker to win the title since Brandon Crick in 2009.
Husker Roster Features Growing Collection of Experienced Leaders
Nebraska’s 11-man roster for 2024-25 features a growing group of experienced, high-character leaders both on and off the course.
Graduate student Reed Malleck returns for his fifth competitive season hoping to help lead the Huskers to an NCAA Regional berth. The reigning Nebraska Amateur champion, Malleck has represented the Huskers twice at the Big Ten Championship. The three-time Academic All-Big Ten choice was a 2024 GCAA Scholar All-American and Nebraska’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner in 2023, before earning his bachelor’s degree in finance from Nebraska in May of 2024.
Senior Hamish Murray has been a leader on the course, in the classroom and the community. The second-year Husker led Nebraska with five top-25 finishes a year ago before adding GCAA Scholar All-America honors. He was also Nebraska’s 2024 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner.
Senior Grant Jabenis adds more leadership skills on and off the course. Jabenis has competed in 26 rounds for the Huskers the past two seasons, including an appearance at the 2023 Big Ten Championships. He was also a 2024 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.
Juniors Quinn Yost (38 rounds) and Davis Johnson (26 rounds) add substantial experience by combining for 64 rounds on the course in their first two seasons at Nebraska. Yost was a 2024 GCAA Scholar All-American, while Johnson has competed for the Big Red at both the 2023 and 2024 Big Ten Championships while adding Academic All-Big Ten accolades.
Evan McDermott, who redshirted in his second season at Nebraska in 2023-24, also has seen significant playing time. The redshirt sophomore has competed in 20 rounds, while adding Academic All-Big Ten honors as a mechanical engineering major in 2024.
Nebraska Adds Three Talented Freshmen in 2024-25
A trio of talented freshmen join the mix in a balanced Husker roster in 2024-25. Jackson Benge (Omaha, Neb.), James Ackerman (Leawood, Kan.) and Brodie Cunningham (Glasgow, Scotland) signed their letters of intent to join the Nebraska men’s golf program on Nov. 8, 2023.
“I’m extremely excited to have Jackson, James and Brodie join our program,” Nebraska Coach Judd Cornell said. “They have proven they can play at the highest level of college golf. All three bring plenty of experience and are well in tune with their golf games, so I expect them to make immediate impacts. All three are outstanding students and come from great families. We have a great culture in our program and these three will add to that. I’m really excited for them. They will have a great experience at Nebraska”
Benge brings a rich family tradition with him from Nebraska high school power Omaha Westside. Benge, whose mother Amy (Roux) was a standout on the Husker women’s golf team, helped the Warriors to back-to-back Class A state team titles in 2023 and 2024. The 2022 Nebraska Junior Match Play champion, Benge was a two-time Class A all-state selection (2022, 2023) and qualified for the 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur. He is also the cousin of Gold Glove winner and World Series champion Alex Gordon, and the nephew of Nebraska men’s gym All-American Ted Harris.
Ackerman was the 2023 Kansas Class 6A Player of the Year after leading Blue Valley High School to back-to-back state team titles in 2021 and 2022. Ackerman also competed at the 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur in Oregon.
Cunningham comes to Nebraska after capturing back-to-back Barrie Douglas Scottish Junior Masters championships in 2023 and 2024. He competed at the Scottish Men’s Open Championship at Muirfield in May of 2024, putting together rounds of 72 and 73.
Sautron Poised to Make Immediate Impact for Huskers
One of the top newcomers in NCAA Division II in 2023-24, Rudy Sautron joins the Huskers for the 2024-25 season after signing with Nebraska in early March.
The former vice champion of France was named to the Golf Coaches Association of America Division II All-Freshman Team after producing eight top-10 finishes in 11 tournaments.
“Rudy is a strong young player and a great student,” Cornell said. “He has a year of college golf under his belt, so that experience should help him moving forward to Division I golf. I’m very excited to watch him develop the next three years and gain experience at the highest level. He has all the skills to be a phenomenal player.”
Sautron claimed one of five spots on the NCAA Division II All-Freshman Team selected by the GCAA after qualifying as an individual to the NCAA Division II West/South Central Super Regional. He was also named to the Division II PING All-South Central Region team.
Sautron followed former Cameron golfer Hamish Murray to Nebraska, after Murray joined the Huskers for the 2023-24 season. Sautron and Murray were not teammates at Cameron.
Huskers Overpower Beavers, 2-1
Corvallis, Ore. - Behind a season-high 28 shots, the Nebraska soccer team controlled from start to finish, defeating Oregon State 2-1 on Thursday evening.
Reese Snowden secured the brace, as the Huskers improved to 3-2 on the year and Oregon State fell to 1-3.
NU was aggressive early, earning a corner kick in the opening minute. Then in the second minute, Sarah Weber met a cross from Jordan Zade in the box and took a shot saved by the Beaver goalie before freshman Snowden gathered the rebound and scored her second finish of the season.
Nebraska stretched its lead to 2-0 just 10 minutes later as Lauryn Anglim sent a corner into Weber at the penalty spot where she headed the ball, which was deflected by Snowden, into the bottom right corner of the net for the Kansas-native's second score the night.
The Huskers had a relentlessly strong offensive attack in the first 45 minutes, tallying 20 shots (six shots on goal), led by Weber with eight and both Florence Belzile and Ella Guyott with three shots a piece.
In the opening minutes of the second half, the Huskers had opportunities to score, highlighted by a sequence in the 53rd minute as Snowden headed the ball into the crossbar and Emma Prososki gathered the rebound and took a shot of her own, but the Oregon State defense held strong. Snowden found the crossbar again in the 64th minute for her fourth shot of the game, but the score remained 2-0.
Oregon State found its footing in the 80th minute as Megin Turi scored off an assist from McKenna Martinez. The Beavers had chances to score the equalizer, but the Husker defense held off the attack and secured the 2-1 victory.
Up next, NU stays in Oregon and will face Portland on Sunday, Sept. 8 at 3 p.m. (CT). Action will be streamed on ESPN+, and live stats will be on huskers.com.
