LITCHFIELD PARK, Ariz. – The Black Hills State University golf team returned to the golf course for competition for the first time since October of the fall semester at the Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) Classic, down in Arizona to start Spring Break. Black Hills State finishes 11^th with a two-round team score of 717 (+141), shooting 18 strokes better than Minnesota State University Moorhead.
 
"This week we were able to check a lot of boxes of why this meet was so important to add to our schedule this year. It puts us on track with 8 out of 9 other RMAC schools who competed in a tournament early on this spring. It allowed us to compete and play on a very difficult course with fast Bermuda greens similar to what we will see at conference that you cannot simulate locally during the spring," noted Interim Head Golf Coach Randy Doran. "We were able to get away and spend some time together as a team off the course and continue to strengthen our team chemistry. Lastly, we had some player really showcase the improvements they worked hard on during the winter, and set us up to continue to build and prepare for our upcoming spring meets and our conference tournament in April."
 
ROUND 1
Entering the tournament at the No. 3 slot, it was Katie Jorgenson (So., Sheridan, Wyo.) who paced the squad in the opening round. Jorgenson shot a +14 (86) on the day, hitting par on five holes including three on the front nine. On hole 14, the sophomore shot her lone birdie on the par 4 hole. Jorgenson, leading the Yellow Jackets into Day 2, sat tied for 41^st.
 
The round also saw Jessica Folchert (So., Ogallala, Neb.) post a collegiate PR on the day with a round score of 91 (+19) after hitting par five times herself and carding a birdie on the 17^th hole (par 3).
 
A majority of the BH squad sat within 11 strokes of one another after the first day, with Folchert and Olivia McCandless (So., Arvada, Colo.) sitting tied for 56^th as individuals. Ava Kalanek (Fr., Bismarck, N.D.) sat a stroke behind them (92, +20).
 
After the first 18 holes, the Yellow Jackets would sit T11th with a team score of 369 (+81). The women from Saint Leo University (Fla.) led the field after the first day with a 298 (+10) score.
 
ROUND 2
It was another solid day on the course for Jorgenson in Round 2, notching a new career-best 80 (+8) and topping her previous best of 83. Furthermore, the 36-hole score of 166 also set a new career-best for the sophomore, beating her former mark by one stroke at the Montana State Billings Yellowjacket Fall Invite in 2022.
 
Anna Talarico (Jr., Joliet, Ill.) moved up five spots with her second round 85 (+13) which also tied her single-round best score. She also achieved an 85 at the 2022 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Championships. On the day, she hit par on nine holes.
 
Folchert also finished the tournament with a new career-best 36-hole score of 183, topping her previous best by an impressive 16 strokes (199 at the 2023 Hardrocker Fall Invite).
 
"Katie had a phenomenal weekend. She has been working hard all winter in her shot consistency and ball control, and the results were really able to show that offseason work. Jess hit another individual PR round this year, and is really playing her best golf of her college career now, and Anna continued to pick up where she left off after her outstanding fall season recording a single-round best of 85," commented Doran. "Olivia showed some really good things competing in her first meet of the season with a course set up that really didn't even play well into her strengths. Ava, Lola, and Cami all had flashes of what they are capable of throughout doing, and are definitely motivated to make a couple of adjustments before we play next at the Hardrocker Spring Invite in April."
 
The women from Saint Leo University (Fla.) would hold onto their Day 1 lead to take the team title (601, +15), finishing eight strokes ahead of NCAA Division I squad from Bucknell University. Elena Verticchio of Saint Leo took the individual title by a single stroke, carding rounds of 70 (-2) and 73 (+1) for a 36-hole score of 143 (-1).
 
BHSU INDIVIDUAL LEADERBOARD
T37 Katie Jorgenson (+22, 166)
54 Olivia McCandless* (+32, 176)
T58 Ava Kalanek (+36, 180)
60 Anna Talarico (+37, 181)
T61 Jessica Folchert* (+39, 183)
66 Lola Homiston (+46, 190)
67 Cami Langley (+55, 199)
*golfed as an individual, not counted in team score
 
Up Next: The Yellow Jackets will return to the golf course in the state of South Dakota on Monday and Tuesday, April 8-9 for the Hardrocker Spring Invite, hosted by South Dakota Mines.