University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Women Set to Play in Mary Fossum Invite
9/18/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
MARY FOSSUM INVITATIONAL: Minnesota returns to the State of Michigan this weekend to compete in the Mary Fossum Invitational at Michigan State’s Forest Akers West Golf Course in East Lansing. The players will play 36 holes on Sept. 20 and 18 on Sept. 21. The tournament can be followed live on golfstat.com. The event is named after the longtime MSU head coach Mary Fossum, who coached the Spartans for 25 years.
The Gophers haven’t played in the event since the Fall of 2000. That year, the Gophers carded a combined score of 296, which is tied for 7th best 18-hole score in program history. Former Gopher Nancy Harris was the medalist of the 1983 Mary Fossum Invite, the only Gopher to gain medalist honors in the event.
The host Spartans, ranked 19th in the most recent coaches poll, have won the last three Mary Fossum Invites. Number four will not be easy, however, as the field includes Kent State, which is ranked 15th in the Golfweek/Sagarin Poll.
The tournament field also includes Eastern Michigan, Ferris State, Iowa, Michigan, Notre Dame, Northwestern, Toledo and Western Michigan.
WOLVERINE INVITATIONAL RECAP: The University of Minnesota women's golf team finished runner-up at the Wolverine Invitational at University of Michigan golf course in Ann Arbor, Mich. today with a combined score of 20-over par 304. The host Michigan Wolverines won the event by 11 strokes in a tournament that was originally scheduled for 54-holes but was shortened to 18 holes due to the weather that hit most of the Midwest on Sept. 13.
The Gophers were led by senior Kelli Berns, who finished second individually with an even par score of 71. Michigan’s Ashley Bauer carded a 3-under par 68 to take medalist honors. The event was the first collegiate golf tournament for Berns since the 2006-07 season after redshirting last season.
Sophomore Teresa Puga finished in a three-way tie for sixth place with a 3-over par 74 while fellow sophomore Mary Narsizi tied for 23rd after carding a 78. Senior Paige Bromen and sophomore Michele Edlin both shot 81 to finish in a tie for 46th.
THE GOPHERS: Six players will be traveling with the club this weekend for the Gophers. They are senior Kelli Berns, junior Christine Herzog and sophomores Michele Edlin, Mary Narzisi and Teresa Puga.
UP NEXT: The Gophers will stay in Big Ten Country for their next competition as they will head to Madison, Wis. to compete in the Badger Invitational on Sept. 27-28. The Invite will be played at University Ridge Golf Course, a 6,204 yard par 72 course.
University Ridge has been the site of several women’s collegiate and Wisconsin state golf tournaments, most notably the 1998 NCAA Div. I Women’s Golf Championship, and the 2000 Big Ten Women’s Golf Championship. It also played host to the 1995 and 2005 Big Ten Men’s Golf Championship.
Players Mentioned
