Women's Top Tops Three D1 Schools At MSU Mary Fossum Invitational

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University women's golf team wrapped up its first action of the 2013-14 campaign by placing 12th overall at the highly-competitive Mary Fossum Invitational hosted by Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich.

The Bulldogs were the lone non-Division I school in the field of 15 competing teams for the three-round event, which was held Saturday and Sunday at Forest Akers West Golf Course.  The teams placed 36 holes on day one before closing the event with a final 18 holes on Sunday in the 54-hole format.

Along with Ferris State, the rest of the field consisted of Division I schools Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Eastern Michigan, East Tennessee State, Florida International, Indiana, Louisiana-Monroe, Miami (Fla.), Northwestern, Oakland, Oregon, Toledo and Western Michigan, giving the Fossum Invitational one of the top fields of schools for a tournament in the country.

Host Michigan State captured first place with a 892 total followed by Ohio State in second place (896), Notre Dame in third (906), Northwestern in fourth (907) and Oregon fifth (908) among the top five teams overall.  The individual champion was MSU's Liz Nagel with a three-round showing of 217 overall.

The Bulldogs placed ahead of three Division I schools in Louisiana-Monroe, Western Michigan and Oakland in the tournament.

Ferris State was led by sophomore Libby Berens, who tied for 46th individually at 236 for the event.  She carded rounds of 77 and 79 on Saturday before closing the tournament with an 80 on Sunday.

Behind Berens was senior Jacqueline Mulder (formerly DeBoer), who was one stroke behind her with a 237 figure on rounds of 82, 79 and 76 the final day.  Senior Ashley Swanson finished third for FSU in a share for 67th place at 243 as she carded scores of 80, 81 and 82.

Senior Emily Rohdy tied for 70th overall at 244 with three-round scorees of 82, 79 and 83 with sophomore Elizabeth Bauernfeind coming in 86th at 253 after firing marks of 87, 77 and 79.

As a team, Ferris State shot a 321 in round one, a 314 score in round two followed by another 321 figure in the third and final round.

The Mary Fossum Invitational, which began in 1978, is held annually on the par 72 course at Forest Akers West, which measured 6,236 yards.  Named after Michigan State's longtime head coach from 1973-97, the Fossum Invitational featured the top teams in the Midwest and is played on one of the premier collegiate golf courses in the country.

Ferris State made its 12th consecutive national tournament appearance under head coach Mike Mignano last season.  The Bulldogs placed seventh overall at the 2012 NCAA Division II East Regional Championships held May 5-7 in Joliet, Ill., and also placed third overall at the 2013 GLIAC Championships (April 26-28) at Stone Ridge Golf Course in Bowling Green, Ohio.

FSU returns to action on Sept. 22-23 at the University of Indianapolis Invitational in Indianapolis, Ind.