Sunday, September 22
Forest Akers West (East Lansing, Mich.)
Michigan State University
vs
Mary Fossum Invitational
Women’s Golf Set to Host Mary Fossum Invitational
9/20/2024 5:34:00 PM | Women's Golf
Spartans Welcome 15-Team Field on Sunday and Monday
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State's women's golf team will host the 38th edition of the Mary Fossum Invitational this weekend. This will be the second consecutive Invitational that is being held since 2019.
The Spartans will welcome 15 teams to their home course, Forest Akers West, with the tournament starting on Sunday, Sept. 22 with 36 holes and an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start. The Invitational will conclude with 18 holes on Monday, Sept. 23, also an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start.
The tournament will be played on the par-72, 6,370 yard course at Forest Akers West, which served as the host for one of the six NCAA Regionals in May 2024.
Michigan State tees off on the first hole, playing alongside Florida and Ole Miss.
THE LINEUP
1. Paula Balanzategui
2. Ana Sofia Murcia
3. Brooke Biermann
4. Katie Lu
5. Taylor Kehoe
IND. Catalina Monroy
IND. Shannon Kennedy
IND. Ella Weber
IND. Amelie Weber
LIVE STATS
Live stats will be available through Golfstat.
THE MARY FOSSUM INVITATIONAL FIELD
The highly-competitive 15-team field includes both national and regionally-recognized programs. The teams playing this weekend include host Michigan State, Delaware, Florida, FIU, Grand Valley State, Kennesaw State, Miami, Michigan, Minnesota, Northern Illinois, Notre Dame, Oakland, Ole Miss, Purdue, and Toledo.
LAST TIME OUT
Michigan State shot a 1-over par 289 in the final round of play and finished in a tie for fourth place among 15 teams at the inaugural women's Folds of Honor Collegiate at American Dunes in Grand Haven, Michigan on Sept. 11 … The Spartans finished the three day, 54-hole tournament with a score of 19-over par 883 (302-28-289) … Senior Brooke Biermann was the top finisher for MSU, tying for 11th place at 4-over par 220 (71-77-71), including an even-par 72 in the final round … Classmate Katie Lu shot a 1-over par 73 in the third round leading her to tie for 21st place at 6-over par 222 (79-70-73) … Junior Taylor Kehoe tied for 25th place at 7-over par 223 (77-74-72), finishing with an even-par 72 in the final round … Sophomore Ana Sofia Murcia shot a 6-over par 79 in the final round and tied for 34th place at 12-over par 228 (78-72-78) … Junior Paula Balanzategui had her best round of the tournament in the thrd round, finishing at even-par 72, and tied for 34th place at 12-over par 228 (83-73-72).
TOURNAMENT NOTES
Mary Fossum created the women's golf program at MSU in 1973 and was the coach for 25 years. Under Fossum's guidance, the Spartans won an unprecedented five straight Big Ten titles from 1974-78 and played in six consecutive AIAW National Championships (1973-78). The Spartans regained the conference crown in 1982 and played in the 1982 and 1984 NCAA Championships. MSU claimed its third conference runner-up spot under Fossum at the 1987 Big Ten Championship. For 17 of her seasons as head coach of the Spartans, Fossum was part of a unique coaching pair as her husband, Bruce, coached the MSU men's team for 25 seasons before his retirement in 1989. Bruce passed away in March 2014 at the age of 86 and Mary passed away in 2020 at age 96.
MARY FOSSUM INVITATIONAL HISTORY
Michigan State has won the event 13 times, 11 coming under the direction of Head Coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll, who took over the program when Fossum retired in 1997. The Spartans finished in second place in 2023 at 4-over par 868, with Purdue claiming the team title at 6-under par 858. Katie Lu took medalist honors, winning her first collegiate event at 3-under par 213 (70-69-74).
The Spartans will welcome 15 teams to their home course, Forest Akers West, with the tournament starting on Sunday, Sept. 22 with 36 holes and an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start. The Invitational will conclude with 18 holes on Monday, Sept. 23, also an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start.
The tournament will be played on the par-72, 6,370 yard course at Forest Akers West, which served as the host for one of the six NCAA Regionals in May 2024.
Michigan State tees off on the first hole, playing alongside Florida and Ole Miss.
THE LINEUP
1. Paula Balanzategui
2. Ana Sofia Murcia
3. Brooke Biermann
4. Katie Lu
5. Taylor Kehoe
IND. Catalina Monroy
IND. Shannon Kennedy
IND. Ella Weber
IND. Amelie Weber
LIVE STATS
Live stats will be available through Golfstat.
THE MARY FOSSUM INVITATIONAL FIELD
The highly-competitive 15-team field includes both national and regionally-recognized programs. The teams playing this weekend include host Michigan State, Delaware, Florida, FIU, Grand Valley State, Kennesaw State, Miami, Michigan, Minnesota, Northern Illinois, Notre Dame, Oakland, Ole Miss, Purdue, and Toledo.
LAST TIME OUT
Michigan State shot a 1-over par 289 in the final round of play and finished in a tie for fourth place among 15 teams at the inaugural women's Folds of Honor Collegiate at American Dunes in Grand Haven, Michigan on Sept. 11 … The Spartans finished the three day, 54-hole tournament with a score of 19-over par 883 (302-28-289) … Senior Brooke Biermann was the top finisher for MSU, tying for 11th place at 4-over par 220 (71-77-71), including an even-par 72 in the final round … Classmate Katie Lu shot a 1-over par 73 in the third round leading her to tie for 21st place at 6-over par 222 (79-70-73) … Junior Taylor Kehoe tied for 25th place at 7-over par 223 (77-74-72), finishing with an even-par 72 in the final round … Sophomore Ana Sofia Murcia shot a 6-over par 79 in the final round and tied for 34th place at 12-over par 228 (78-72-78) … Junior Paula Balanzategui had her best round of the tournament in the thrd round, finishing at even-par 72, and tied for 34th place at 12-over par 228 (83-73-72).
TOURNAMENT NOTES
- Two of the teams in the field are coached by Michigan State alums who played for Spartans Head Coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll: Emily Glaser (Florida) and Caroline Powers-Ellis (Notre Dame).
- Grand Valley State golfer Olivia Stoll is the daughter of Slobodnik-Stoll and this is the second-straight tournament GVSU and MSU have played in together.
- Three of the 15 participating teams are ranked in the first Golfweek Team Collegiate Poll of the season.
- Nine of 15 participating teams in the 2024 tournament played in the NCAA Regionals last year, with three of those teams playing at the same site as the Mary Fossum Invitational.
Mary Fossum created the women's golf program at MSU in 1973 and was the coach for 25 years. Under Fossum's guidance, the Spartans won an unprecedented five straight Big Ten titles from 1974-78 and played in six consecutive AIAW National Championships (1973-78). The Spartans regained the conference crown in 1982 and played in the 1982 and 1984 NCAA Championships. MSU claimed its third conference runner-up spot under Fossum at the 1987 Big Ten Championship. For 17 of her seasons as head coach of the Spartans, Fossum was part of a unique coaching pair as her husband, Bruce, coached the MSU men's team for 25 seasons before his retirement in 1989. Bruce passed away in March 2014 at the age of 86 and Mary passed away in 2020 at age 96.
MARY FOSSUM INVITATIONAL HISTORY
Michigan State has won the event 13 times, 11 coming under the direction of Head Coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll, who took over the program when Fossum retired in 1997. The Spartans finished in second place in 2023 at 4-over par 868, with Purdue claiming the team title at 6-under par 858. Katie Lu took medalist honors, winning her first collegiate event at 3-under par 213 (70-69-74).
Players Mentioned
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