Strand Earns NCAA Regional Bid – University of Nebraska

Lincoln – Nebraska’s Kelli Ann Strand claimed an individual berth when the field for the 2024 NCAA Women’s Golf Regional Championships was announced on Wednesday, April 24.

Strand, a sophomore from Challis, Idaho, will compete as one of six individuals at the Cle Elum Regional at the Tumble Creek Club in Washington (May 6-8).

Strand closed the regular season at No. 98 in the Scoreboard national rankings. She carries a school-record 71.17 stroke average through 29 rounds this season. Strand owns eight top-25 finishes on the season, including four top-10 showings. She recorded a season-best second-place finish with a 206 (-10) at the Dale McNamara Invitational (Oct. 9-10), which included a season-best 66 (-6) in the second round in Broken Arrow, Okla. 

Strand, who tied for 30th at the 2023 NCAA Raleigh Regional after earning second-team All-Big Ten honors, helped Nebraska to a team regional appearance last year.

“I’m very grateful to receive this NCAA regional invite and I’m super-excited to head West to compete in Washington,” Strand said. “I will continue to prepare and work hard to represent Nebraska the best I can in the postseason.”

Nebraska Coach Jeanne Sutherland said Strand had an outstanding sophomore season and earned the honor of representing the Husker program at regionals.

“Kelli Ann had a great year for the Huskers and we’re really proud of her for earning this bid to postseason,” Sutherland said. “She’s a strong player, and she will have a great chance to qualify for the NCAA Championships.” 

NCAA Regionals (May 6-8) will be held in six locations, including Auburn, Ala. (Auburn), Bermuda Run, N.C. (Wake Forest), Bryan, Texas (Texas A&M), Las Vegas, Nev. (UNLV), East Lansing, Mich. (Michigan State) and Cle Elum, Wash. (Washington). The 12-team regionals also include the top 36 individuals around the nation from non-advancing teams.

The NCAA Championship (May 17-22) will be held at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif.

Cle Elum Regional
Tumble Creek Club (Host: Washington)

1. Stanford 
2. Duke
3. Arizona State
4. Virginia
5. San Jose State
6. Washington 
7. Alabama
8. Virginia Tech
9. Kansas
10. Long Beach State
11. Sacramento State
12. Seattle

Individuals
1. Emma Bunch, New Mexico State
2. Riana Mission, San Francisco
3. Kelli Ann Strand, Nebraska
4. Morgan Miller, Colorado
5. Sabrina Iqbal, Colorado
6. Madelyn Gamble, Washington State

Las Vegas Regional
Spanish Trail CC (Host: UNLV)

1. UCLA
2. Arkansas
3. Arizona
4. Florida State
5. California
6. Purdue
7. Baylor
8. Oklahoma
9. Colorado…