Women’s Golf to Travel to East Lansing Regional – Illinois State University Athletics

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – For the second time in the last three seasons, the Illinois State women’s golf team is advancing to the NCAA Regional, and will compete in the East Lansing Regional, as announced by the NCAA on Wednesday afternoon. The Regional will start on May 6 and is scheduled to have 18 holes played on May 6, 7, and 8 with a practice day on May 5.

Played at Forest Akers Golf Course in East Lansing, and hosted by Michigan State, the Redbirds will be joined at the regional by USC, Northwestern, Florida, Pepperdine, Michigan State, Kentucky, Denver, Oklahoma State, Indiana, Augusta, and Oakland.

The Redbirds earned the honor to represent the Missouri Valley Conference after securing a 12-stroke win over the field at the 2024 MVC Championship held at Annbriar Golf Course on April 14-15. ISU graduate student Jinyoung Yun was named the MVC Golfer of the Year, while she, Ali Schrock, and Avalon Woodward earned All-MVC honors. Schrock – the 2024 MVC Championship co-medalist – and Yun each earned All-Tournament Team members.

This season the Redbirds have the lowest season scoring average in program history (296.5) – seven strokes better than the previous record – and have 33 rounds as a team this year at or under par, which is 11 more than the previous team school record. Five of the 10 lowest 54-hole tournament scores in program history came during this season, including opening the season with a then-record 866 at the Redbird Invitational, before topping that score by nine strokes a month and a half later with an 857 at The Clash of Boulder Creek.

The four lowest single-round scores in program history have come this season, including two rounds of 282 at the Clash of Boulder Creek. Individually, Yun has four rounds with a 67 this season, which are tied as the lowest rounds in program history. Her tournament score of 204 at the season-opening Redbird Invitational remains the school record, as her 210 at The Clash at Boulder Creek and Ali Schrock’s 211 at the Rio Verde Collegiate are the second and third-lowest tournament scores ever carded by a Redbird.

Most recently Illinois State took part in the 2022 Stillwater Regional hosted at Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Oklahoma. ISU has also competed in NCAA Regionals in Norman, Oklahoma (2013); Notre Dame, Indiana (2011); Columbus, Ohio (2009 and 2010); Austin, Texas (2008); Las Cruces, New Mexico (2005); and Normal, Illinois (2004).

Located on the picturesque campus of Michigan State University, Forest Akers West Golf Course is one of the premier golf courses in the region and ranks as one of the best collegiate facilities in the country. With its unique setting as an arboretum and challenging layout, the West Course earned a four-star rating from Golf Digest in 1999. In addition, The

Detroit News selected Forest Akers as the No. 6 spot in the rankings of public golf courses in the state of Michigan and the past two years, the Lansing State Journal selected it as the “Best of the Best.”

The land for the par-72 (36-36) course was donated by Michigan State alumnus Forest Akers of Detroit, with the provision that the course also serves as an arboretum. Most of Michigan’s native trees and a wide variety of shrubs are grown throughout the course and are arranged to create a unique setting for the game of golf. Forest Akers may be the only course in the country recognized as an arboretum. Grand Rapids architect W. Bruce Matthews designed the original layout for Forest Akers West Course. The course underwent a $1-million renovation in 1992 by former Spartan golfer Arthur Hills of Arthur Hills and Associates. Owned and operated solely by Michigan State University, Forest Akers West and its sister course, Forest Akers East, offer the finest facilities for the collegiate golfer.

GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Athletic Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.