LITCHFIELD PARK, Ariz. – The University of Sioux Falls Women's Golf Team will be among seven teams participating in the 36-hole SMSU Invite on March 11-12 at the Wigwam Resort Red Course.
 
Schools competing at the SMSU include will include USF, Bemidji State, Fort Hays State (Kan.), Lindenwood (Mo.), Rockhurst (Mo.), SMSU and Western New Mexico. Tee times on both days will begin at 9:30 a.m. CDT.  Results will post at www.usfcougars.com each day following the competition.
 
USF, directed by head coach Sam Vosler, will be back on the links for the first time since Oct. 21 when they placed third in the NSIC Fall Preview in Morton, Minn. USF has placed fourth or better in four consecutive meets with a third place finish at the NSIC Fall Preview its best of the season. USF, which has an average round score of 323.56, through five competitions, had a season-best round of 312 in the opening round at the Augustana Invitational and in the second round of the Ramada Mustang Invitational last fall. At that Ramada Mustang Invitational on Sept. 22-23, USF's total of 627 (315-312) was a D2 program-best two-round total, and earned them a fourth place finish. It was also USF's D2-program best round. In the preseason NSIC Coaches Poll, USF was picked a program-high third.
 
Last time at SMSU Spring Invite –
 
A year ago, USF finished fifth with 644 points (327-317) as Lexi Hanson took third place with a 154 (78-76). In total, USF placed seven players in the top 29, including five in the top-25. Sydney Hubbard and Alexandra Nutter finished tied for 19th with matching totals of 166. Hubbard of Onalaska, Wis., followed up an 84 with an 82 while Nutter of Houston, Minn., jumped from an 86 to an 80, an improvement of six shots. Freshman Kyleigh Moran had her best two-round total of the season at 169 and finished 25^th.
 
USF placed third at the NSIC Fall Preview
USF, led by a seventh place finish from Nutter, captured third in the team standings at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Fall Preview on a cold and windy Sunday at the Dacotah Ridge Golf Club last Oct. 21. Nutter carded a 21-over par, 165 (83-82) to record her second straight top-10 individual finish. Nutter, who has three top-10 finishes this season, was one of five USF golfers to finish in the top 15 on the par 72, 5906-yard course. USF finished with a 36-hole, two-round total of 673 (345-328). As a result, USF wrapped up its fall season with a top-four finish for the fourth straight meet.

As a team, the Cougars opened with an 18-hole role of 345 and then shot a 328 over the final 18 holes to finish third at 673. Aside from Nutter, junior Lexi Hanson finished tied for 11^th with a 24-over par total of 168 (86-82). Also at the NSIC Fall Preview, sophomore Lexi Jonas was 13^th with a 26-over par 170 (87-83). In addition, sophomores Sydney Hubbard (91-81) and Kyleigh Moran (89-83) both had two-round totals of 172 and finished 28 over par.

Individual Notes
Hanson, who became USF's second-ever student-athlete to compete at the NCAA DII regionals last May, has recorded 10 top-10 finishes in her career and has five times carded sub-80 rounds in back-to-back rounds of a tournament. Most recently, Hanson, who twice has earned All-NSIC Golfer of the Week honors, had her best performance of the year at the Ramada Mustang Invite when she carded a 149 with rounds of 74 and 75. In total she had a fall round average of 78.44 to lead USF.

Nutter had her best performance at the Augustana Invitational on Sept. 29-30 with a two-round total of 154 (74-78). She has a round average of 80.11.

Hubbard, who has an 83.67 round average, had a best of 161 this fall after rounds of 82-79 at the Ramada Mustang Invite on Sept. 22-23.

Jonas, who has an 83.56 per round average, had her best performance of the fall at the Ramada Mustang Invite on Sept. 23-23. She shot a two-round total of 157 (79-78).

Moran is averaging 83.89 per round this year. She had her best performance at the Augustana Invitational on Sept. 29-30 with a two-round total of 158 by carding an 80 and then her career-best 78.

Taylor Sudenga has a 87.50 per round average. She carded her best performance at the Ramada Mustang Invite when she shot a 173 on rounds of 86 and 87.