Tournament set for Sunday and Monday
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Looking to ride the momentum of an impressive spring season, the University of Evansville women’s golf team is ready to open the 2023-24 season at the Redbird Invitational.
Weibring Golf Club in Normal, Ill. will host the tournament, which is slated for Sunday and Monday. Day one features 36 holes before the final 18 are set for Monday. A shotgun start opens play at 8:30 a.m. each day.
This year’s field includes Illinois State, Bowling Green, Bradley, Drake, Eastern Illinois, Evansville, Illinois Wesleyan, Indiana State, IUPUI, Northern Illinois, Northern Iowa, South Dakota, South Dakota State, St. Thomas and Valparaiso.
As last season progressed, the Purple Aces played better and better. The team finished no worse than second place in four of the final five tournaments while earning a third or better finish in six of the final seven events. Completing the season at the Missouri Valley Conference Championship, UE tied for second place while freshman Kate Petrova was the individual conference champion.
Petrova, the 2023 MVC Freshman of the Year, completed the season with a stroke average of 76.86. She finished in the top eight in five of the six spring tournaments while finishing no lower than 19th. Petrova earned her first victory at the Indiana State Invitational before earning the MVC crown in a 2-hole playoff.
Mallory Russell wrapped up last year second on the team with a 78.30 average. Her top finish was a second place at the Nevel Mead Collegiate in the spring. That followed a tie for 7th at the Bright Creek Invite where she posted a season-low round of 72.
Back for her fifth year with the program is Allison Enchelmayer. She played a large role in the success of the team down the stretch last season, earning top ten finishes in five of the last seven tournaments. Enchelmayer posted a season-low 72 in the opening round of the Nevel Meade Collegiate and finished in a tie for fifth.
