The Winona State University men’s golf team will open the spring season Sunday and Monday at the Wayne State (Neb.) Invitational.
The Warriors, ranked No. 29 in the Golf World/Nike Golf NCAA Division II coaches’ poll, won their fifth straight Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference title in the fall, finishing 31 strokes ahead of second-place Bemidji State.
WSU sophomore Brady Strangstalien shot a 140 (68-72) and became the first golfer since WSU’s Dick Jones in 1964-65 to win back-to-back conference titles.
WSU’s John Anderson, Kevin Loeffler and Jeff Porter finished second, third and fourth behind Strangstalien in the championships, each earning all-conference honors.
The WSU women’s golf team, which stands in third place after the fall portion of the NSIC championships, opened the spring season with a 319-359 loss to Cal State Northridge on March 5.
The Warriors, who are four strokes out of second place and 40 behind first-place Upper Iowa, will compete in the Wayne State Invitational on Sunday and Monday.
The Warriors are led by junior Megan Placko, who finished the NSIC championships in second place with a 10-over-par 154.
Women’s tennis
The Winona State University women’s tennis team lost 5-4 at Upper Iowa on Friday.
Amanda Asche won a tiebreaker in No. 3 singles, and Heather Pierce (No. 1) and Erika Richae (No. 6) also earned wins for WSU (5-11).
Pierce and Mary Hesterman picked up WSU’s lone win in doubles play.