ST. JOSEPH, MO. – Lexi Hanson of the University of Sioux Falls Women's Golf Team, is in a tie for 19th place after day one of the NCAA Division II Central Regional Tournament which opened today at the St. Joseph Country Club.

After a four and one-half hour rain delay, Hanson, who is making her third appearance at the NCAA DII regionals, opened with a six-over par round of 78.

It was a round in which the senior from Chanhassen, Minn., opened at 38 (nine holes) with five pars and a birdies on hole eight – a par five 509-yard hole. Then she closed at 40 (nine holes) with two pars and two birdies. She had birdies on the 352-yard par four hole 15 and on the 467-yard par five 18^th hole.

Hanson, who is just four shots out of the top-five, is one of four golfers playing as an individual and trying to earn a spot at the NCAA National Tournament at TPC Michigan in Dearborn, Michigan, on May 11-15. The top three teams along with the top three individuals not with a team from each super regional will advance to the championships.  

On Tuesday, Hanson is scheduled to tee off at 10:20 am. Hanson, who was a program-best second at the NSIC Championships, shot one shot over her season average today. A two-time All-NSIC performer, she earned All-NSIC Tourney honors this spring and was named USF's Female Athlete of the Year. She led the NSIC in scoring average in both 2020 and 2021.

The leader after day one is Jessica Green of Rogers State, who had seven birdies, shot a seven-under par 65.  She helped lead Rogers State to the team lead with a 11 over par round of 299. Southwest Oklahoma State and Arkansas Tech finished at 19 over par 307 for a tie for second place.