PALM DESERT, Calif. - The University of Dubuque women's golf team made the 36-hole cut on Wednesday at the NCAA Division III Women's Golf Championships for the first time in program history. The Spartans went out on Wednesday and fired off a round of 295 (+7) to move up four spots into 12th with Leah Balsbaugh continuing to lead the way tied for 18th (+2) on the individual leaderboard.

After sitting just four strokes outside of the cut-line heading into the second round of the NCAA Championships, the Spartans fired off the lowest round of the day at the Mountain View course with a 295 (+7) to make the 36-hole cut for the first time in program history, as well as the first American Rivers Conference school to make the cut since 2018. The Spartans' 295 was also the fourth-best score at the Mountain View course over the first two days of the championships.

The Spartans had three golfers card a 73 (+1) today, as Leah Balsbaugh continues to pace the Spartans with a two-day total of 146 (+2) and tied for 18th. Drew Hoffer and Kaycee Newman also posted 73 scorecards. Hoffer is currently tied for 30th at 149 (+5), and Newman sits tied for 60th at 153 (+9).

Payton Morton shot 14 strokes better than round one with a 76 (+4) to bring her two-day total to 162 (+18). Gracie Russell finished her second round with an 81 (+9) and has a score of 163 (+19) through two rounds.

Hear from Dustin Bierman
"What these ladies did today was historic, and to do it on this stage is big time. This was the goal at the beginning of the year, and they did it. They have been locked in since we landed and have stuck to the game plan. It's been a total group effort, and now we get to see if we can climb the leaderboard. I am so proud of this group and can't wait until tomorrow."

The trio of Balsbaugh, Hoffer, and Newman now share the lowest single-day total at the NCAA Championships with their scores of 73. All three of them also broke the previous low two-day NCAA Championships total (155), with Balsbaugh setting the new two-day record of 146. 

The Spartans finished day two with 14 birdies, with eight of them coming on the back nine, and a team total of one under par, moving the Spartans into position to ultimately make the cut.

The Spartans will play round three starting at 9:00 a.m. (CT) / 7:00 a.m. (PT). 


UD Individual Standings
T18. Leah Balsbaugh (73-73--146)
T30. Drew Hoffer (76-73--149)
T60. Kaycee Newman (80-73--153)
T115. Payton Morton (86-76--162)
T122. Gracie Russell (82-81--163)

Team Standings
1. Emory (293-289--582)
2. Carnegie Mellon (291-295--586)
3. New York (296-291--587)
T4. Washington & Lee (292-296--588)
T4. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (297-291-588)
6. Middlebury (298-292--590)
7. WashU (304-290--594)
T8. Pomona-Pitzer (303-295--598)
T8. Amherst (300-298--598)
10. Williams (306-295--601)
11. Carleton (306-296--602)
12. University of Dubuque (311-295--606)
13. Sewanee (307-300--607)
14. Randolph-Macon (300-311--611)
15. Grinnell (317-298--615)

--Top 15-teams make the cut--

T16. Illinois Wesleyan (307-310--617)
T16. Redlands (304-313--617)
18. George Fox (317-307--624)
19. Denison (312-313--625)
20. Mary Hardin-Baylor (312-314--626)
21. UW-Stout (327-303--630)
22. Piedmont (319-313--632)
23. Saint Mary's (IN) (319-319--638)
24. LeTourneau (323-319--642)
25. Aurora (326-317--643)
26. York (PA) (325-320--645)
27. Marymount (VA) (322-324--646)
28. Northwestern-St. Paul (334-321--655)
29. Ohio Northern (322-337--659)
30. Washington & Jefferson (344-331--675)
31. Catholic (DC) (347-331--678)
32. Transylvania (349-336--685)
33. SUNY Cortland (365-323--688)
34. Suffolk (372-334--706)