Women's Golf | 9/8/2021 5:46:00 PM

Blue Springs, MS. – A career day in the second round by Maggie Veenendall (T-11^th) lands the University of Sioux Falls Women's Golf Team in 14^th place at the highly competitive Central Region Fall Preview which concluded on Wednesday (September 8) at the Adams Pointe Golf Club.
 
The 78-over par score of 654 (323-331) placed the Cougars one stroke ahead of Upper Iowa University (322-333) and 13 ahead of Wayne State College (333-334). UIU and WSC were the only fellow NSIC members to partake in the Central Region Fall Preview. Henderson State claimed the team title with a 595 (300-295) and the two top individual scores with Gracen Blount carding 141 (71-70) and Allie Bianchi close behind with 144 (75-69). Arkansas Tech placed second with 603 (303-300) with Nebraska-Kearney (308-305) and Northeastern State (310-303) tied for third with a score of 613 each.
 
"It was fun to be in competition and see what our team members could do," said USF Head Coach Wade Merry after coaching the first tournament of his USF career. "The course was warm and windy so it was impressive to see how well Paige Hillman began her collegiate career despite the wind. It's an indication of how great of a player she will be for us. We're all proud of Maggie Veenendall for placing top-5 in the second round plus finishing tied for 11^th overall. I was interested to see how we would compare to the other NSIC teams and, while we could always have played better, it was good to be the top team at the tournament from our conference."
 
After ending the first day tied for 36^th, Veenendall carded just one-over par on the second day with a 73 (36-37) that propelled her to a tie for 11^th overall place and a total score of 152 at the Central Region Fall Preview. Veenendall's 73 ranked top-5 on the day and consisted of pars on 13 of the 18 holes as well as birdies on holes 1 (327-yards) and 2 (453-yards). The junior's one-over 73 was a career-best round, topping her two-over par 74 stroke second round during the Central Region Spring Preview in Springfield, MO earlier this calendar year. Her overall of eight-over par 152 now stands as the second-best of her career, with only her seven-over mark 151 from Augustana Invitational last spring a better mark.
 
Hillman's 25-over par 97 (51-46) on the second day brought her total to 174 (77-97) for the tournament. After a strong showing on day one where she led the Cougars by carding a 77 in her debut collegiate round, Hillman was able to hit par on six holes and finish tied for 87^th. In total she recorded sixteen pars and two birdies which came during day one on the 465-yard hole 14 and 335-yard hole 16.
  
Marisa Weeks recorded the only eagle for USF in the tournament en route to recording a score of 80 (38-42) during day two. Her overall score of 163 (83-80) tied her for 60th. The seniors' five pars brought her total to eleven for the tournament while her birdies on holes 2 (453-yard) and 4 (139-yard) gave her three for the tournament. Her lone eagle came on the 327-yard first hole of day two.
 
Maddi Hanson followed her 84 on day one with an 87 (43-44) on day two to finish with 171 which tied her for 82^nd place. Another 10 pars during the second day brought the Hanson's total to 19 on the tournament.
 
Ashley Tackett used six pars in the second round to collect a score of 91 (50-41) bringing her total to 179 after her first round 88 . The freshman sank 12 pars and a birdie on the 136-yard hole 12 in her debut as she tied for 93^rd.
 
The USF Women's Golf Team will tee-off next on September 13^th at the 2021 Jackrabbit Intercollegiate in Brookings, SD at the Brookings Country Club where they will look to build on the performances from the Central Region Fall Preview.