Michigan State Finishes in Fifth Place at Collegiate Classic

East Lansing, Mich. – Two Michigan State women’s golfers finished among the top-20 individuals as the Spartans fired a 5-under par 279 in the final round and finished in fifth place among 14 teams at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Classic, hosted by the University of Tennessee at Cherokee Country Club in West Knoxville.

The Spartans, who entered the final round in eighth place, posted their best round of the tournament on Tuesday and finished with a three-round, 54-hole total of 5-over par 857 (294-284-279). MSU’s final round 5-under par 279 was tied for the second-lowest team round of the day.

Final Team Results

The 14-team field featured nine teams ranked among the top-50 in the country by Golfstat.

Wake Forest (No. 4) topped the field, finishing at 21-under par 831, three shots ahead of second place UCF (No. 36) at 18-under par 834. Virginia (No. 13) finished in third place at 16-under par 836, while Kent State (No. 45) placed fourth at 3-under par 849 and the Spartans rounded out the top-five teams.

Two Spartans finished among the top-20 individuals, led by sophomore Brooke Biermann, who tied for 10th place overall at 4-under par 209. She finished with a 1-under par 70 on Tuesday, posting four birdies. Biermann finished the tournament eighth in the field of 78 golfers with 12 birdies.

Fifth year Valery Plata shot an even-par 71 in the third round and tied for 13th place overall at 2-under 213. She sandwiched a 2-under par 69 in the second round around a pair of even pars to start and finish.

Junior Valentina Rossi had the team’s best round of the day, shooting a 3-under par 68, with five birdies, including three on the back nine. Rossie finished in 25th place at 2-over par 215 (74-73-68).

Junior Leila Raines, playing in her first event of the year, had her best round of the tournament on Tuesday with a 1-under par 70. She finished in a tie for 47th place at 9-over par 222 (77-75-70).

Sophomore Katie Lu tied for 61st place at 14-over par 227 (78-75-74).

Playing as an individual, sophomore Shannon Kennedy shot a 3-under par 68 in the second round and posted a 1-over par 72 on Tuesday.

The Spartans are back in action on Monday, Oct. 3 and Tuesday, Oct. 4, playing in the Windy City Classic at Exmoor Country Club in Highland Park, Ill.