Michigan Golf Journal September 2019

College Corner, Season Previews The Spartans return all six players from last year’s team that were regulars in the lineup, including All-Big Ten performers Allyson Geer- Park (Sr.), Paz Marfa Sans (Sr.) and Yurika Tanida (Jr.). The team took 5 th in the Big Ten but by only five strokes difference (575-580) behind winner Ohio State. Paz Marfa finished 4 th individually with a 3-under par and made the All-Big Ten Championship team. MSU won the Big Ten Championship in 2017 and 2018 and has finished in the top-five 19 times in the last 20 years. Three key sophomores return for the new 2019-20 season as well: Haylin Harris, who along with Geer-Park qualified for the NCAA Championships this past spring – plus Valery Plata and Sydney Naro. This summer, Plata, Harris and Tanida qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur – with Harris making it to match play and getting one win before bowing out in the round of 32. Geer-Park was named co-winner of the George Alderton MSU Female Athlete of the year last season. She also played in her third consecutive Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give in June, after earning entry into the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April. Geer-Park’s 72.9 career average entering 2019-20 – her final season – is the best of any player in Spartan history. She and Harris were exempted into the Firekeepers Hotel LPGA Symetra Tour event in Battle Creek recently. Head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll enters her 23 rd season as head coach. MSU won the Briar’s Creek Invitational last season, which was the 38 th tournament the Spartans have won during her tenure. Slobodnik- Stoll continues to play competitively herself, finishing runner up in the Michigan Women’s Amateur this summer. The Spartans host the 36 th annual Mary Fossum Invitational, Sept. 22-23, at Forest Akers West. Content by Tom Lang Michigan State Women: Allyson Geer-Park Haylen Harris