Women’s golf finishes 19th, Bastel an All-American

The women’s golf team finished in 19th place out of 24 teams at the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships in Auburn, Wash.

The Spartans four-day total of 1,202 was highlighted by their final-round score of 289. The mark was good enough for MSU’s second-best ever 18-hole team score, and the third-lowest score of the final round of the tournament.

Stacy Snider and Emily Bastel led the final-round charge with two-under-70s at the par 72 course.

Snider, a family and community services senior, finished the tournament tied for 27th with a score of 295 (79-73-73-70). Bastel finished tied for 45th with a score of 298 (77-72-79-70). Duke took the championship with a score of 1,164.

MSU women’s golf head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll said she was impressed with her team’s score. But she said the result could have been better.

“Golf is a difficult game because unless you’re winning every tournament, it’s tough to win,” Slobodnik-Stoll said.

Despite the loss, the Spartans did receive good news. On May 24, Bastel, a marketing senior, became just the second Spartan to be named to the National Golf Coaches Association Division I All-America Second Team.

The last Spartan golfer to receive the honor was Lisa Marino in 1985, when she received an honorable mention.

Bastel holds several Spartan records, such as lowest season average (74.81), lowest career average (75.75), lowest 54-hole tournament score (214) and is one of four players to shoot a round in the 60s (two rounds with a score of 69 each).

She was also Big Ten Athlete of the Year for 2002.

“She’s going to be a wonderful ambassador for Michigan State for the rest of her life,” Slobodnik-Stoll said.

Kristofer Karol