Madison Regional

press release: For the fifth time in the last six seasons, the Wisconsin women’s golf team has earned the right to play in the NCAA Regional Championships. The twist on this year’s selection is that the Badgers will have a home course advantage as they were one of the 18 teams chosen to compete in the Madison Regional, to be held at University Ridge Golf Course on May 7-9.

“We’ve had an outstanding season and the team is really excited to have the opportunity to play at University Ridge,” head coach Todd Oerhlein said of his team. “Having the knowledge of the golf course should be a benefit but there are also potential distractions that come with playing at home. We have to manage those things and make sure they understand it’s another golf tournament. It will be a great test and a great setup.”

This is the first NCAA event held at University Ridge since the 1998 NCAA Women’s Championships. University Ridge has also hosted the Big Ten Women’s Championships in 2000 and 2010 and the Big Ten Men’s Championships in 1995. This June, the course will host the PGA Champions Tour American Family Insurance Championship for the third-straight year.

It is the ninth time in school history the Badgers have qualified for NCAA play. A total of 18 teams and six individuals were chosen to compete at each regional site. The Badgers were awarded the No. 9 seed and will be joined in Madison by Duke, University of Southern California, Arizona State, Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue, Iowa State, Virginia, Campbell, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Old Dominion,

Oregon State, Idaho, Murray State, North Dakota State and IUPUI.

The six individuals playing at University Ridge are Connie Jaffrey (Kansas State), Pinyada Kuvanun (Toledo), Pun Chanachai (New Mexico State), Elsa Moberly (Eastern Kentucky), Erin Harper (Indiana) and Cara Basso (Penn State).

The top six teams and the top three individuals not on qualifying teams will advance from each regional to the NCAA Championships, which will take place at Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Oklahoma, from May 18-23.

Last season, Wisconsin finished 13th at the NCAA Columbus Regional with Becky Klongland leading the way in 25th place. Klongland and fellow senior Gabby Curtis will be making their third NCAA regional appearance for the Badgers. Senior Lexi Harkins, a transfer from North Carolina, played in the NCAA regional every year with the Tar Heels as the team advanced to the NCAA championships each of the last two seasons. Junior Jessica Reinecke also has NCAA experience, playing last year for the Badgers in Columbus.

UW’s best regional showing came in 2003, when the Badgers finished sixth in Lincoln, Nebraska, to qualify for the NCAA Championships. The Badgers also reached the NCAA Championships in 2013 after placing seventh at the Central Regional in Norman, Oklahoma.