Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Monday, April 7
Knoxville, Tenn.
Middle Tennessee
vs
Tennessee Spring Challenge
Blue Raiders set for regular season finale at Tennessee Spring Challenge
4/6/2025 4:28:00 PM | Women's Golf
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – For the final time in the 2024-25 regular season, the Middle Tennessee women's golf team is prepped to hit the course, this time at the Tennessee Spring Challenge. The inaugural event, hosted by Tennessee, takes place Aprill 7 at Fox Den Country Club as a one day, 36-hole tournament.
THE FIELD
The field is comprised of 11 teams, including Middle Tennessee and host Tennessee. CUSA rival Western Kentucky will make the trip to Knoxville, Tenn., along with Vanderbilt, Lipscomb, Appalachian State, Elon, Tennessee Tech, Wofford, Memphis and Austin Peay. Tennessee Tech will field just two individuals, with all other schools bringing at least five golfers.
THE BLUE RAIDERS
MTSU wrapped up the Golfweek Spring Challenge last week with a runner-up finish at 861 (+9). The place marked the first time since the 2018-19 season that the team has had multiple top-two finishes in the same season, having won the Cardinal Cup in the fall semester. The 861 marked the sixth-lowest 54-hole total in program history and a 282 on the final round tied the fourth-lowest round in MT history.
Abbie Lee will take top spot for the Blue Raiders after a career-best finish at the Golfweek Spring Challenge as the individual runner-up. Her tournament was highlighted by a four-under-par final round that secured second place. Her 209 total is the fourth-lowest 54-hole all-time tournament score.
Ella Manley earned her second top-20 finish of the season at the last tournament, shooting a 219 (+6) through 54 to place tied for 12th.
Jillian Bowman and Nicole Johnson finished the Golfweek Spring Challenge with career-best finishes, tying for 17th. Johnson, who will start in fourth for the Blue Raiders Monday, fired her second-lowest 54-hole total of the season at 221, while adding a round at par in the event. Bowman, sitting in the third spot in Knoxville, turned in her lowest tournament score of the season with the 221 and will look to continue dropping her average through the 36 hole event.
Lanie Campbell is set to wrap up the five-woman lineup for the Blue Raiders after earning her fourth top-30 finish of the season in South Carolina. She saw steady improvement throughout the rounds last week, completing the tournament at 225 (+12).
Caroline Pardue returns to the course Monday, this time competing as an individual. She has taken part in one stroke play event this spring, at the Puerto Rico Shootout, where she fired a round at par in the second 18, tying for 28th in the abbreviated tournament.
THE COURSE
The tournament will take place at Fox Den Country Club, located in Knoxville. The course was built in 1969 by Willard Byrd and is positioned amid the backdrop of the Smoky Mountains. Bill Bergin redesigned the course in 2004, with each set of nine holes arranged in an out-and-back design and played as a par-72 at 6,388/6,308 yards.
THE TOURNAMENT
The Blue Raiders will embark on their first 36-hole event of the season in the one-day tournament. It will begin with a shotgun start at 7:45 a.m., with MTSU paired with Memphis and Austin Peay beginning at hole five. Pardue will be paired with an individual from Tennessee and App State at hole 17. The second round will see the same pairings, beginning upon the conclusion of the first round at roughly 12 p.m.
THE FIELD
The field is comprised of 11 teams, including Middle Tennessee and host Tennessee. CUSA rival Western Kentucky will make the trip to Knoxville, Tenn., along with Vanderbilt, Lipscomb, Appalachian State, Elon, Tennessee Tech, Wofford, Memphis and Austin Peay. Tennessee Tech will field just two individuals, with all other schools bringing at least five golfers.
THE BLUE RAIDERS
MTSU wrapped up the Golfweek Spring Challenge last week with a runner-up finish at 861 (+9). The place marked the first time since the 2018-19 season that the team has had multiple top-two finishes in the same season, having won the Cardinal Cup in the fall semester. The 861 marked the sixth-lowest 54-hole total in program history and a 282 on the final round tied the fourth-lowest round in MT history.
Abbie Lee will take top spot for the Blue Raiders after a career-best finish at the Golfweek Spring Challenge as the individual runner-up. Her tournament was highlighted by a four-under-par final round that secured second place. Her 209 total is the fourth-lowest 54-hole all-time tournament score.
Ella Manley earned her second top-20 finish of the season at the last tournament, shooting a 219 (+6) through 54 to place tied for 12th.
Jillian Bowman and Nicole Johnson finished the Golfweek Spring Challenge with career-best finishes, tying for 17th. Johnson, who will start in fourth for the Blue Raiders Monday, fired her second-lowest 54-hole total of the season at 221, while adding a round at par in the event. Bowman, sitting in the third spot in Knoxville, turned in her lowest tournament score of the season with the 221 and will look to continue dropping her average through the 36 hole event.
Lanie Campbell is set to wrap up the five-woman lineup for the Blue Raiders after earning her fourth top-30 finish of the season in South Carolina. She saw steady improvement throughout the rounds last week, completing the tournament at 225 (+12).
Caroline Pardue returns to the course Monday, this time competing as an individual. She has taken part in one stroke play event this spring, at the Puerto Rico Shootout, where she fired a round at par in the second 18, tying for 28th in the abbreviated tournament.
THE COURSE
The tournament will take place at Fox Den Country Club, located in Knoxville. The course was built in 1969 by Willard Byrd and is positioned amid the backdrop of the Smoky Mountains. Bill Bergin redesigned the course in 2004, with each set of nine holes arranged in an out-and-back design and played as a par-72 at 6,388/6,308 yards.
THE TOURNAMENT
The Blue Raiders will embark on their first 36-hole event of the season in the one-day tournament. It will begin with a shotgun start at 7:45 a.m., with MTSU paired with Memphis and Austin Peay beginning at hole five. Pardue will be paired with an individual from Tennessee and App State at hole 17. The second round will see the same pairings, beginning upon the conclusion of the first round at roughly 12 p.m.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
Facility tour – Stephen and Denise Smith Student-Athlete Performance Center
Wednesday, July 30
Spring Sports Show hosted by The Boulevard – April 28, 2025: Women's Golf and Men's Golf
Tuesday, April 29
"The Middle" - MT Athletics 2019 Lip Dub
Friday, April 26
@MT_WGolf NCAA Regional - Day 3
Saturday, May 07
