SDSU women's golf to compete in NCAA Regionals for first time in program history

BROOKINGS – The South Dakota State women's golf team will be playing in the NCAA Regionals for the first time in program history next week after the Jackrabbits won the Summit League Tournament on April 28.

It was the first time that the Jacks took home the Summit League title and they did so by finishing 30-over par as a team. SDSU finished six shots ahead of second-place Denver and eight shots ahead of third-place Oral Roberts.

It was the second first-place finish for SDSU this season and the other came back on Oct. 5 at the Fall Jackrabbit Invitational in Larchwood, Iowa. However, there were only four teams at that tournament.

SDSU came in second in two of its final three tournaments of the regular season and Jackrabbit head coach Ericka Schneider said she felt like the Jacks were building momentum as they went into the conference tournament.

"If you kind of looked at our spring semester, we played really well in the sense of, maybe where we finished wasn't where we could have been, but there were a lot of really good things that we pulled out from each tournament," Schneider said. "From one tournament to the next, [our golfers] were learning and adapting and making certain things within their own games better."

Schneider added that her and her staff felt like they had a good shot to win the Summit League at the beginning of the season.

"I mean, we talked about it basically from the get go back in the fall," Schneider said. "We said, listen, of all the years that we've had an opportunity [to win the] conference and to make regionals, we as coaches, believe that this team, out of any one, is the one that could do it."

The Jacks led by two strokes after the first round and then were up by 11 strokes going into the final round. Schneider said her team did a good job of staying motivated and not getting too high or too low throughout the three-day tournament.

"We had a two stroke lead [after the first round], and when we got done, the girls, they were pumped, they were motivated," Schneider said. "They were like, this is what we've been working for all season long, and we're exactly where we should be. And it wasn't a cocky thing, it was a confidence that was backed up because of the work that they've been putting in and the things that we've been striving to get better at.

"The biggest thing was just making sure that from one day to the next, that there were zero expectations. Because if you take expectations from one day into the next day in golf, it makes golf very difficult. I think that was something they did really well. They were excited for the position they were in, but they were motivated to play well because they knew they had a shot."

Senior McKenzie Mages won the individual tournament for the Jacks with a one-under par performance. Originally from Marietta, Ga., Mages spent half of her high school career at a golf prep school in Florida and her parents then moved to Sioux Falls.

Her relationship with Schneider goes back to when she was 10 years old and Schneider lived with Mages' family in Atlanta while she was playing on tour. Mages planned on going to Southern Illinois, but the coach SIU resigned right after she graduated. Schneider would then call Mages and ask her if she wanted to play at SDSU and the rest is history.

Schneider said it was special to see Mages come out on top at the Summit League Tournament and do it as someone whose family now lives in South Dakota.

"You couldn't ask for anything better than when a kid from your state represents your school in such a large way," Schneider said. "Yeah she's originally from Georgia, but her family lives here now and she's staying at SDSU for grad school after she graduates and her boyfriend is from South Dakota.

"I think that she'll stick around for a long time. But when you have somebody from your state that is representing your school in such a strong way, for an athletic program that's making history for not just our program, but for your university and mid-major sports as a whole and the midwest, it's a pretty special thing to be apart of and a pretty special thing to witness."

The Jackrabbits had five golfers finish in the top 25 at the Summit League Tournament. Hannah Boras tied for seventh place (+10), Riko Danjo tied for 17th place (+14), Molly OíHara tied for 20th (+15) and Reese Jansa tied for 24th (+17).

Schneider said the team is excited for the opportunity that awaits them in California. The Jacks are the No. 11 seed out of 12 teams in the three-day tournament that will take place May 11-13. The top five teams will advance to the National Championships, which will be played May 22-27 in Carlsbad, Calif.

With it being the Jacks' first time in the NCAA Regionals, Schneider said the Jacks should focus on enjoying the experience, but also be ready to compete against some of the best teams in the country.

"I think we have nothing to lose, and that makes us a little dangerous, in the sense that we can go out there with zero expectations, enjoy the experience to the absolute fullest and play some really fantastic golf," Schneider said. "I mean, if we do the things that are under our control better than anybody else in the field, there's no telling what can happen.

"Going out there and being as excited as they are. It's not an excitement of we're just happy to be there. It's exciting that we're ready to compete against these teams and show them what we're capable of."

Schneider added that this is a big step for the women's golf program at SDSU and she thinks it shows that it doesn't matter what part of the country or what size of school you play at.

"It's an immense accomplishment for this program," Schneider said. "We have such a talented group of girls, and we have really good resources here and a lot of people who support our program. For being a mid-major women's golf program in the midwest, we're literally indoors the entire spring semester.

"... This shows people that regardless of location you can be a successful golfer. You can get better. You can shave strokes off your average and you can be someone who sets records anywhere. It's great for recruiting and it's great for community engagement and support."