EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State women's golf team shot a 3-under-par 285 in the third and final round of the NCAA East Lansing Regional on Wednesday at Forest Akers West to finish in third place and earn a trip to the NCAA Championships.
MSU finished the 54-hole tournament at 4-under 860 (291-284-285), the lowest team score the Spartans have ever posted in an NCAA Regional.
Top-seeded USC won the regional with a 9-under-par 855 (281-289-285), followed by Oklahoma State (859), MSU (860), Northwestern (861) and Pepperdine (863). The top-five teams in the 12-team field advance to the NCAA Championships.
Notre Dame's Lauren Beaudreau, playing as an individual, claimed medalist honors by shooting a 12-under-par 204 (68-69-67).
The Spartans started the day in fourth place and moved up one spot to third with their 3-under 285, which tied for the second-lowest team score in the third round. Oklahoma State made the biggest jump from seventh to second after shooting a 9-under 279 on Wednesday, the lowest round of the tournament for any team.
The third and final round was played on a beautiful day on the MSU campus under sunny skies and temperatures reaching the low-70s.
"They played awesome – just like we said yesterday, we were going to play like Spartans today, and we certainly did," said MSU head coach
Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll, who has now led Michigan State to the NCAA Championships 14 times. "To do it at Michigan State (advance to nationals), to do it with so many fans (and media here), it means the world us, and obviously a great memory for us at Forest Akers."
Senior
Leila Raines led MSU with a 6-under 210 (73-68-69), which set a 54-hole record for a Spartan in an NCAA Regional and placed her fourth on the individual leaderboard. Raines carded five birdies to shoot a 69, a day after firing a season-best 68 in the second round.
"It feels amazing – this is what we worked all season for," said Raines. "The anticipation of it, being at home, and then just being able to pull it off like we wanted to is really rewarding.
"Being able to end my senior year here and now, a ticket punched to nationals, you can't ask for much more."
"Leila being a senior, she always comes through when it matters," said Slobodnik-Stoll. "I can think of many occasions when she has, and she just played great golf and was comfortable at home."
Junior
Katie Lu, a first-team All-Big Ten selection, placed 14th with an even-par 216 after shooting a 1-under 71 in the third round. Lu also had five birdies, including a long putt on the par-5 17th hole for her fifth birdie of the day.
Junior
Shannon Kennedy shot an even-par 72 in a round that included a team-best six birdies, while sophomore
Paula Balanzategui carded a 1-over 73 to round out MSU's team scores in the third round. Balanzategui tied for 20th overall at 3-over 219 (74-72-73). Junior
Brooke Biermann also tied for 20th (72-71-76—219).
"Recruiting kids that have heart and belief and passion and dedication," said Slobodnik-Stoll on the key for her team to be able to advance to the NCAA Championships. "So many people asked me what did I do last night, and trust me, this is nothing to do with me, it has to do with those six young women who are representing Michigan State, and who and what they are and what they believe in.
"And I will say just the standard that we've set in this program. I think for over 25 years now, we've proven that we're one of the best teams in the country, and we want to continue to do that. That is on them, and that's why they're recruited here, to continue our tradition of excellence."
The 2024 NCAA Women's Golf Championships are set for May 17-22 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California.
"The feeling of wanting to be there never dies and it never ends," said Slobodnik-Stoll of coaching at the NCAA Championships. "You are going to get to take those players who are representing Michigan State and all they've done and all they've worked for, to the national championship, which is the pinnacle of their career. And those are going to be memories that they're going to remember for the rest of their lives."
Michigan State NCAA Regional Notes:
- Michigan State will be making its 16th all-time appearance at the NCAA Championships, including 14 trips under head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll. MSU has advanced to the NCAA Championships three of the past four seasons.
- MSU's team score of 860 was 12 shots better than its previous low 54-hole score in an NCAA Regional (872 both at the 2023 Palm Beach Regional and the 2017 Athens Regional).
- The third-place finish at the NCAA East Lansing Regional tied for the second best for the Spartans in an NCAA Regional (first at 2023 Palm Beach Regional; third place on three previous occasions in 2001, 2004, 2017). This marked MSU's 24th all-time appearance in an NCAA Regional.
- Leila Raines shot a 6-under 210, the lowest 54-hole score by a Spartan in an NCAA Regional. The previous record was held by Sarah Burnham, who carded a 212 at the 2018 Austin Regional.
- This will be the fourth-straight appearance in the NCAA Championships for Raines, who has gone with the team three times (2021, 2023 and 2024) and qualified as an individual in 2022.
