SIOUX FALLS – The University of Sioux Falls Women's Golf Team, which was ranked this week 11^th in the Central Region, will look to sustain the season momentum at the Central Region Preview at Twins Oaks Country Club in Springfield, Mo.

USF will be one of 16 teams competing at the tournament, which is being held on the Par 71, 5,981-yard course. The teams are scheduled to play two rounds of 18 holes. For live scoring, click here.

Cougars ranked 11^th in region for 2^nd straight week
For the second straight week, the University of Sioux Falls Women's Golf Team, which has put together three straight top-five team finishes, has been ranked 11^th in the NCAA DII Central Region rankings which were released today (Thursday, May 8).USF has had a standout spring season with three top-five finishes in a row. USF, which will compete at the Central Region Spring Preview on April 12-13 at the Twin Oaks Country Club in Springfield, Mo., finished second (647) at the Hillcat Classic on Owasso, Okla., on March 15-16; fourth (635) at the 2021 Midwest Intercollegiate Invitational at Warrensburg, Mo., on March 22-23 and fifth (666) at the 2021 Holiday Inn Express Missouri Western State Spring Invitational Regional Preview on March 29-30. The only NSIC team in the top-11 of the rankings, USF has the top team scoring average at 325.8 per round on 10 rounds with a low round of 315. They stand seven shots better than the second place squad Augustana at 332.5. USF also three of the top four individual scoring average in the NSIC and led by two-time All-NSIC and All-Region qualifier Lexi Hanson at 77.30 scoring average. Hanson has been NSIC Golfer of the Week three times and finished top-20 five times, top 10 three times and twice was the runner-up individually (Hillcat Classic, Missouri Western State Classic). Ranked second in scoring average in the NSIC is Sydney Hubbard, who has two top-20 finishes, at 80.13, and Maggie Veenendall, who has two top-20 and a top-10 mark this year, is fourth at 81.25.

USF has momentum as they play at the Central Region Preview
USF heads into the Central Region Preview with a lot of success this spring. Two weeks ago, senior Lexi Hanson finished second and earned selection to the All-Tourney Team, as the USF Women's Golf Team registered a fifth place finish at the Holiday Inn Express Classic which concluded on Tuesday (March 30) at the St. Joseph Country Club.

With Hanson leading the charge, the Cougars moved up from ninth to a tie for fifth and recorded the top finish by an NSIC school at the tournament (seven total NSIC schools) by recording a two-round total of 666 (344-322) which was 90-over par. USF, which improved from day one to day two by 22 strokes, was tied with host school Missouri Western (666-347-319). USF placed in the top five for the third time in the last four tournaments this spring.

Hanson, who had her third top 10 and second runner-up finish this spring, claimed a tied for second at 12-over par 156 (79-77) and finished just three shots from medalist honors, which was captured by Yasmin Hang of Northeastern State at nine-over par 153 (76-77). Her round of 77 was tied for the second best round of the tournament. Sophomore Maggie Veenendall aided USF's cause with a big jump during the final round as she finished tied for 24^th with a 23-over par total of 167 (87-80). Senior Sydney Hubbard also made a move up the leader board. She finished in a tied for 31^st, which was a move of 11 spots. Hubbard had a 25-over par total of 169 (87-82).  

Led by Sydney Hubbard, the Cougars finished in 4th place at the Midwest Intercollegiate Invite in Warrensburg, MO on March 22-23. The Cougars shot a combined 67-over par 635 (318-317) to finish fourth. Hubbard, who finished with a 15-over par 157 (79-78), moved up four spots into a tie for 11th as she had consecutive sub-80 rounds with a 78 (39-39) following up her 79 on day one. Hubbard, who was tied for fifth overall with four total birdies, registered 15 pars during her two rounds. In addition, Hubbard, who recorded her ninth career top-20 finish and sixth in the top-15, was 12^th in par five scoring at two-over.

Senior Lexi Hansen also recorded a top-20 finish which was the 26^th of her career. She finished at 19-over par 161 (76-85). The reigning NSIC Golfer of the Week, she finished with two birdies and 18 pars during her two rounds. Today, she had eight pars in shooting 85 (44-41). She finished 13^th overall in par 5 scoring.

Sophomore Maggie Veenendall registered her fifth career top-20 finish as she carded a 20-over par 162 (79-83). In the round of 83 (44-41) today, she had seven pars and a birdie on hole three. Overall she was tied for eighth with three birdies during the two rounds and totaled 15 pars.

Through 10 rounds in 2021, USF has shot 3,257 strokes for an average of 325.70 with a low round of 315. USF has had rounds of 315, 317, 318, 322, 327, 328, 321, 332, and 333 this year. 

Player Notes -- 

Along with Hanson's eight NSIC weekly honors, USF Women's Golf now has had 11 student-athletes earn NSIC Golfer of the Week honors. Kami Love, was honored on March 21, 2017 and Hanson earned the honor on March 14, 2017 as well on Sept. 6, 2018, Sept. 27, 2019, March 14, 2019; March 12, 2020 and March 10, 2021, March 17, 2021 and March 30 while Lexi Jonas was honored Oct. 2, 2019 while Alex Nutter was honored April 10, 2019 . They join current Head Coach Tavia Rutherford, who was selected on Sept. 17, 2014 while a member of the USF Women's Team. She was honored most recently on March 30 after leading USF to a fifth place finish as she was second overall and named All-Tourney at the Central Region Preview.

Hanson helped lead USF Women's Golf Team to a season-best second place team finish at the Hillcat Classic on March 15-16 in Owasso, Okla. She finished at nine-over par 153 (77-76) by carding consistent rounds both days. The NSIC Preseason Player of the Year, Hanson opened the two-round classic by carding a 77 (39-38), which was five-over par. She had a birdie on hole one and then used 11 pars to finish with a 77. In the final round, Hanson had five birdies on holes 1, 3, 7, 8, and 10 along with four pars as she shot a 76 (41-35) with a five-over 41 on the front nine and a one-under par 35 on the back nine in the final round. She finished with six birdies and 15 pars in the two rounds. As a team, USF finished at 647 (332-315) and was runner-up to Rogers State.

Already this spring, Hanson has had a solid start with four top-12 finishes at competitive competitions in Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas.  

The senior from Chanhassen, Minnesota, who has been named the NSIC Preseason Golfer of the Year, has 19th career top-10 finish and 11 top-five finishes, including second place twice this season. Hanson has 26 top-20 and two individual titles during her stellar career at USF.
The top NSIC average  scoring leader from a year ago, the three-time Academic All-NSIC, two-time all-region and two-time All-NSIC performer leads the NSIC with a 77.3 scoring average with a low round of 74 (twice) this season. She has a 79 or lower in 9-of-10 rounds.

Sydney Hubbard has played eight rounds and made 641 shots for an average of 80.13, which is second in the NSIC. Her low round is a six-over par 76 (Diffee Ford Lincoln Invite, 3-8-9-21). This year her top two-round total was at the Diffee Ford Lincoln Invite with a 156 (78-80). She has totaled four top-10 finishes in her career and has two top-five finishes. A year ago, she finished eighth in the NSIC in 2019.20 with a 79.0 scoring average. On Sept. 4, 2019, she had her best career round of 154 (76-78). in placing 27^th at the Central Region Fall Preview. She shot a career best 74 single round at the IAA Fall Preview on Sept. 25, 2019. 

Senior Kyleigh Moran is averaging 85.00 per round with 850 shots in 10 rounds with a low round of 76 at the Midwest Intercollegiate Invite on March 23, 2021 (second round). She has two top-20 finishes, including 16^th at the Augustana Invitational on Sept. 29-30, 2018 with a career-best 158 (80-78). She was 14^th at the NSIC Fall Preview on Oct. 21, 2018. Her best round this year is 22 over par 164 (88-76) at the Midwest Intercollegiate Invite.

Senior Lexi Jonas is averaging 85.90 this year with 859 strokes in 10 rounds and a low round of 78 (Hillcat Classic, 2^nd round, March 16, 2021). Highlighting her career was a first-place finish at the Augustana Invite with a 151 (78-73), which was her second best effort of her career. A year ago, she had three top-10 finishes and that goes with six overall top-20 finishes as an individual. She shot a career-best 148 (74-74) in finishing tied for seventh at the MIAA Fall Preview on Sept. 24-25, 2019. She was the NSIC Women's Golfer of the Week on October 2nd after winning the Augustana Invite and helping USF win a team title. Her best round of the year is the 22-over par 164 (84-80) at the Midwest Intercollegiate Invite.

Also for USF, sophomore Maggie Veenendall is averaging 81.25 per round, which ranks fourth in the NSIC, with eight rounds and 650 shots. She has low of 78 (Diffee Ford Lincoln Invite, 3-4-2021, 1^st round) this year. She has four top-20 and one top-five finish with her best two-round total of 151 (75-76) at the Central Region Preview. Veenendall, who averaged 79.42 a year ag0), placed thirteen at that meet in Sept. 4, 2019. The 75 in the opening round of the Central Region Preview is her career best. She was a career-best four at the Augustana Invite on Sept. 28-29, 2019 when she carded a 156 (79-77). She has a best round of 17-over par 161 at the Hillcat Classic in Owasso, Okla.

Sophomore Annie Balduzzi is averaging 89.25 in four rounds with 357 shots. She has a low round of 87 (Natural State Golf Classic, 3/4/2021, 1^st round) this year.  A year ago, she shot a career-best 153 in finishing 20^th at the MIAA Fall Preview on Sept. 24-25, 2019. Her career-best round is a 75 in the second round of the Gold Bear Classic when her 156 (81-75) was a career-best sixth place finish. She has two top-20 and one top-10 finish.

Junior Marisa Weeks has six rounds and an 84.50 average with 507 shots. She has a low round of 78 (Natural State Golf Classic, 3-4-21, 2^nd round).