Illinois State Women’s Golf Finishes Eighth at Ozarks National Invitational
HOLLISTER, Mo. – The Illinois State women’s golf team concluded the 2026 Ozarks National Invitational in eighth place, highlighted by a strong final-round performance from Elise Fennell.
Missouri State secured the tournament win with a three-round score of 904. South Dakota State (912), UTEP (914), South Dakota (916), Texas A&M Corpus Christi (927), West Florida (938), and Indiana State (941) finished ahead of Illinois State’s total of 943. Northern Iowa (966), Lindenwood (968), Oklahoma City (972), Merrimack (973), McLennan CC (975), and Drury (996) completed the field of 14 schools.
Fennell Leads the Redbirds
Elise Fennell tied for ninth place individually with a 54-hole score of 226, achieved through rounds of 76, 77, and a final-round 73. She recorded two birdies and 13 pars on the final day. Throughout the tournament, Fennell had the fewest bogeys in the field, the third-most pars, and was tied for seventh in par-four scoring, averaging 4.13 strokes per hole. Fennell was recently named the Missouri Valley Conference Golfer of the Week on March 20, marking her third career honor.
Strong Performances from Kennedy and Sparrow
Reagan Kennedy finished in a tie for 14th place with a tournament score of 229, carding rounds of 79, 73, and 77. Her final round included two birdies and nine pars. Kennedy also achieved the fifth-best par-four scoring average in the field, at 4.04 strokes per round.
Alex Sparrow tied for 39th place, closing with a final-round 83. She recorded two birdies and seven pars over her last 18 holes. Sparrow’s seven birdies tied for the sixth-most in the tournament field.
Other Redbird Results
Dani Grace Schrock carded a final-round 80, finishing with a 54-hole score of 247 and tying for 55th place. Her final round included a birdie and nine pars. Reagan Braker’s final-round 86 resulted in a three-round total of 264, tying for 72nd.
Looking Ahead
Illinois State will next compete at the Boilermaker Spring Classic in West Lafayette, Indiana, on April 12 and 13 before the Missouri Valley Conference Championship.
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