Women's Golf Ready for 41st NCAA Appearance

By: Connor Smith

See the full game recap

TEMPE, Ariz. – No. 13 Sun Devil Women's Golf team prepares to play at Tumble Creek Club May 6-8, making their 31st consecutive NCAA Regional appearance, competing every year since the Regional postseason format was created in 1993.
 
The Sun Devils are one of just eight Division I Women's Golf teams to earn a spot at NCAA Regionals every year for the past 31 seasons. This puts the Arizona State program in elite company, as only the following teams have qualified for a regional each time since the postseason format changed:

• Arizona State
• Arizona
• Duke
• Florida
• Stanford
• USC
• UCLA
• Wake Forest

CLE ELUM, HERE WE COME
The eight-time national champion Sun Devil Women's Golf team will head to Tumble Creek Club in Cle Elum, Washington after being selected to the Cle Elum NCAA Regional, hosted by the University of Washington running Monday, May 6 through Wednesday, May 8. GOLF Channel announced the 72 teams making up the six regionals during their NCAA Women's Golf Selection Show last week. 

Each regional will feature 12 teams and six individuals, with a total of 30 teams advancing to the National Championships to be played May 17-22 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California. The top two individuals (12 total) from non-qualifying teams from each regional will also advance to the Championship. Live scoring for the Cle Elum Regional will be provided by Golfstat at the following link.
 
This is the 31st consecutive year that Sun Devil Women's Golf has qualified for a regional, doing so every time since the format was instituted. ASU has not missed a NCAA postseason since 1991. The program earned their 32nd straight NCAA postseason berth and will be making its 41st overall appearance. 

HISTORY AT NCAA REGIONALS
The program has claimed or shared a total of five Regional team championships, with the last coming during their National Championship run in 2017. In 2022, the Sun Devils had an impressive showing at the Stillwater Regional, finishing second on their way to reaching the NCAA Championship at Grayhawk in Scottsdale. ASU has put together second place finishes at regionals in two of the last three years, also doing so back at the 2021 Columbus Regional as part of their run to NCAA Match Play that season.

Arizona State is one of only five schools to receive a Top-3 seed in each of the last four NCAA Regional selections. They are joined by only Wake Forest, South Carolina, LSU, and USC in this exclusive group, an indicator of the consistent success of Coach Farr-Kaye's program.

THE COMPETITION 
Arizona State will be the No. 3 seed in a regional that features No. 1 overall seed Stanford (Pac-12 Champion). The regional also includes No. 2 seed Duke, No. 4 Virginia, No. 5 San Jose State (Mountain West Champion), host school No. 6 Washington, No. 7 Alabama, No. 8 Virginia Tech, No. 9 Kansas, No. 10 Long Beach State (Big West Champion), No. 11 Sacramento State (Big Sky Champion), and No. 12 Seattle (WAC Champion).

The Cle Elum Regional features 9 of the Clipp'd Top-50 ranked teams, including No. 1 Stanford, No. 11 Duke, No. 13 Arizona State, No. 24 Virginia, and No. 25 San Jose State. The regional also has its fair share of individual star power, with ten of the Top-50 individuals in the Clipp'd Player Rankings competing in Cle Elum. Virginia's Amanda Sambach is the top-ranked player in the regional, coming in at No. 7. Arizona State has Ashley Menne not far behind at No. 47 in the nation in the latest poll.

THE FORMAT
In the third year of the new regional format, six sites were selected instead of the traditional four. For the second consecutive year, there is an increase in advancing teams, changing from 24 to 30. In order to clinch a berth in the NCAA Championship and advance to Carslbad, Arizona State will have to finish in the Top-5 of the 12-team Cle Elum Regional. Five teams from each of the six regionals form the group that advances to play in the 2024 NCAA Women's Golf Championship. Sun Devil Women's Golf is looking to add to their record 35 appearances in the NCAA Championship Finals.

The other five regional sites are Auburn, Alabama, Bermuda Run, North Carolina, Bryan, Texas, Las Vegas, Nevada, and East Lansing, Michigan. Nine of 11 Pac-12 teams made NCAA Regionals, a testament to the strength of arguably the best conference in women's golf. Seven teams from the league received Top-6 seeds led by No. 1 overall seed Stanford and fellow top seeds UCLA and USC followed by No. 3 seeds Arizona State, Oregon, and Arizona.

THE LINEUP
Arizona State boasts one of the deepest and most talented rosters in the country. Junior Grace Summerhays claims the top spot as she gets ready for her third regional appearance. Sophomore Beth Coulter earns the No. 2 spot and has a year of postseason experience to her advantage. Senior Ashley Menne follows in the third position and will be competing in the fourth regional fo her career. Sophomore Paula Schulz-Hanssen - the last of the four Sun Devils to have previously competed in this stage of the postseason - will play out of the No. 4 spot. Redshirt freshman Patience Rhodes rounds out Missy Farr-Kaye's lineup and prepares for her regional debut..

1. Grace Summerhays
2. Beth Coulter
3. Ashley Menne
4. Paula Schulz-Hanssen
5. Patience Rhodes

TEE TIMES (MST)
Arizona State will begin the first round of the Cle Elum Regional Monday morning at 9 AM MST on the first hole with a new golfer beginning their round every 11 minutes. They are paired with top seed No. 1 Stanford and second seed No. 11 Duke.
 

SUN DEVILS IN THE RANKINGS
Clipp'd, backed by the NCAA, are now responsible for the 2024 NCAA Golf Rankings. Arizona State enters the NCAA postseason at No. 13 in the rankings and have now maitained a spot in the Top-15 for the final two months of the season. Four Sun Devils are in the Top-111, while all five fall within the Top-170. Here is where each of the Sun Devils' rank in the latest Clipp'd Individual Rankings:

No. 47 Ashley Menne 
No. 103 Grace Summerhays 
No. 107 Patience Rhodes 
No. 111 Beth Coulter 
No. 168 Paula Schulz-Hanssen

QUOTABLES
"It never gets old getting your name called on Selection Show Day," Assistant Coach Mikayla Tatman mentioned after the regionals were announced. "I'm very proud of this team and how they have positioned themselves all season to make a run in the postseason."

"We are quickly shifting our focus towards having a great week of preparation before heading back to Washington," Tatman added. "This is a great site selection for us; we've already adjusted to the climate and will get the opportunity to compete on a terrific golf course against #1 in the nation. We aren't headed to Washington just to make it out of a region. We're headed to Washington to win a Regional Championship. This team is confident and ready to make a deep run in May."

THE COURSE
Tumble Creek Club is a private, members-only golf course that opened in 2005. It serves as one of six "home" courses in the Seattle area for Washignton Men's and Women's Golf. The setup for the Cle Elum Regional will be a Par 72, 6306-yard challenge. It is one of three courses that make up the Suncadia Resort. Tumble Creek spans over 400 acres with big views of the river and mountains to the West. It has been the site of several U.S. Open Qualifiers in addition to hosting many other professional and semi-professional events.

LAST TIME OUT
Sun Devil Women's Golf completed their final round in the last Pac-12 Championship, hosted at Palouse Ridge Golf Club. No. 12 Arizona State finished in seventh place among 11 teams in the first step of the postseason. Grace Summerhays led the way for the Sun Devils, shooting 71 (-1) to earn a Top-20 finish (T18th). Beth Coulter (T26th) also finished in the top half of a 55-golfer field. The Maroon and Gold made a late push at the end, recording eight birdies over their final five holes after having just two through the first 13.

PAC-12 ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Two Sun Devils added another impressive accolade as the Pac-12 announced the 2024 All-Conference teams - voted on by the coaches of the league - following the conclusion of the Pac-12 Championship. Senior Ashley Menne was one of 12 golfers to land on the Pac-12 All-Conference First Team, the second consecutive year she has accomplished the feat. Redshirt Freshman Patience Rhodes received Honorable Mention All-Conference distinction in her debut season in the Maroon & Gold. Here is a closer look at the All-Conference selections.

First Team (12)
Ashley Menne, Arizona State
Carolina Melgrati, Arizona
Gile Bite Starkute, Arizona
Kiara Romero, Oregon
Sadie Englemann, Stanford
Megha Ganne, Stanford
Paula Martin Sampedro, Stanford
Zoe Antoinette Campos, UCLA
Amari Avery, USC
Catherine Park, USC
Camille Boyd, Washington
Kelly Xu, Stanford

Honorable Mention (7)
Patience Rhodes, Arizona State
Caroline Canales, UCLA
Kate Villegas, UCLA
Nena Wongthanavimok, Arizona
Ching-Tzu Chen, Oregon
Minori Nagano, Oregon
Meghan Royal, UCLA

BEST ROUNDS IN 2023-24
64/-8 Ashley Menne (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational second round/March 18, 2024)
65/-7 Beth Coulter (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational second round/March 18, 2024)
66/-6  Ashley Menne (Match in the Desert/Jan. 22, 2024)
67/-5  Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Mason Rudolph Invitational first round/Sept. 22, 2023)
67/-4  Ashley Menne (Stanford Intercollegiate second round/Oct. 21, 2023)
68/-4 Grace Summerhays (PING/ASU Invitational third round/March 30, 2024)
68/-4 Patience Rhodes (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational third round/March 19, 2024)
68/-4 Patience Rhodes (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational first round/March 17, 2024)
68/-4 Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational second round/March 18, 2024)
68/-4  Patience Rhodes (McGuire Invitational second round/Sept. 11, 2023) 
68/-3  Patience Rhodes (Darius Rucker Intercollegiate first round/March 4, 2024)
68/-3  Grace Summerhays (Darius Rucker Intercollegiate first round/March 4, 2024)
68/-3  Grace Summerhays (Darius Rucker Intercollegiate second round/March 5, 2024)
---> 69/-3 Ashley Menne (Pac-12 Championship second round/April 22, 2024)
---> 69/-3 Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Pac-12 Championship second round/April 22, 2024)
69/-3 Ashley Menne (PING/ASU Invitational first round/March 28, 2024)
69/-3 Patience Rhodes (PING/ASU Invitational first round/March 28, 2024)
69/-3 Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational third round/March 19, 2024)
69/-3 Ashley Menne (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational third round/March 19, 2024)
69/-3 Patience Rhodes (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational second round/March 18, 2024)
69/-3 Ashley Menne (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational first round/March 17, 2024)
69/-3  Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Mason Rudolph Invitational third round/Sept. 24, 2023)
69/-3  Beth Coulter (Mason Rudolph Invitational first round/Sept. 22, 2023)
69/-3  Ashley Menne (McGuire Invitational first round/Sept. 11, 2023)
69/-3  Beth Coulter (McGuire Invitational second round/Sept. 11, 2023)
69/-3  Calynne Rosholt (Windy City first round/Oct. 2, 2023)
69/-2  Patience Rhodes (Stanford Intercollegiate third round/Oct. 23, 2023)

TOP FINISHES IN 2023-24
1st - Ashley Menne (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational)
T2nd - Ashley Menne (Match in the Desert)
3rd - Patience Rhodes (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational)
5th - Beth Coulter (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational)
T5th - Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Mason Rudolph Invitational)
6th - Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational)
6th - Ashley Menne (McGuire Invitational)
T7th - Grace Summerhays (Darius Rucker Intercollegiate)
T9th - Ashley Menne (PING/ASU Invitational)
T9th - Grace Summerhays (PING/ASU Invitational)
T12th - Patience Rhodes (Darius Rucker Intercollegiate)
T12th - Beth Coulter (Darius Rucker Intercollegiate)
T14th - Grace Summerhays (McGuire Invitational)

BIRDIES BY SUN DEVIL (SEASON TOTALS)
Ashley Menne - 85 (plus 1 Eagle)
Grace Summerhays - 84 (plus 4 Eagles)
Beth Coulter - 80 (plus 3 Eagles)
Patience Rhodes - 77 (plus 2 Eagles)
Paula Schulz-Hanssen - 71 (plus 3 Eagles)

CAREER APPEARANCES 
Ashley Menne, 41 (38 stroke; 3 match)
Grace Summerhays, 31 (28 stroke; 3 match)
Beth Coulter, 22 (19 stroke; 3 match)
Paula Schulz-Hanssen, 22 (19 stroke; 3 match)
Patience Rhodes, 10 (8 stroke; 2 match)

CAREER TOP-20 FINISHES
Ashley Menne, 24
Grace Summerhays, 14
Paula Schulz-Hanssen, 9
Beth Coulter, 7
Patience Rhodes, 4

2023-24 CAMPAIGN
Arizona State has been tested throughout 2023-24 as Coach Farr-Kaye built one of the nation's toughest slates once again. The Maroon and Gold have competed in a total of ten regular season events, four in the Fall and six in the Spring. The postseason begins April 21 at the Pac-12 Championship, with NCAA Regionals and NCAA Championships scheduled for the month of May.

ARIZONA STATE WOMEN'S GOLF SCHEDULE
McGuire Invitational – Sept. 11-12 (Albuquerque, NM)
Mason Rudolph Invitational – Sept. 22-24 (Franklin, TN)
Windy City Collegiate Classic – Oct. 2-3 (Chicago, IL)
Stanford Intercollegiate – Oct. 20-22 (Palo Alto, CA)
Match in the Desert – January 22 (Gold Canyon, AZ)
Therese Hession Regional Challenge – Feb. 3-4 (Palos Verdes, CA)
Duel in the Desert (vs. Denver) – Feb. 25 (Phoenix, AZ)
Darius Rucker Intercollegiate – March 4-6 (Hilton Head Island, SC)
Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational – March 17-19 (Honolulu, HI)
PING/ASU Invitational – March 28-30 (Phoenix, AZ) - HOSTED BY ASU
Pac-12 Championship – April 21-23 (Pullman, WA)
NCAA Regionals – May 6-8 (Auburn/Cle Elum/College State/East Lansing/Las Vegas/Winston-Salem)
NCAA Championship – May 17-22 (La Costa, CA; Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, Champions Course)

2024 NCAA WOMEN'S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
For the first time since 2019, the NCAA Women's Golf Championship will not be at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, as Arizona State's extremely successful three-year run as a host has come to an end. The 2024 NCAA Women's Golf Championship will take place near San Diego at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, Champions Course. Should they advance from a Regional, Sun Devil Women's Golf will attempt to win the program's NCAA record ninth national championship. Missy Farr-Kaye was in charge the last time that ASU won a title, defeating Northwestern at Rich Harvest Farms in Chicago for the 2017 NCAA Women's Golf Championship. The program also brought home NCAA titles in 2009, 1998, 1997, 1995, 1994, 1993, and 1990. 

GOLF CHANNEL COVERAGE
GOLF Channel will present the 2024 NCAA Division I Women's (May 20-22) and Men's (May 27-29) Golf Championships, totaling over 50 hours of comprehensive coverage. The women's championship will be held May 17-22, with GOLF Channel providing live coverage of the final day of individual championship play on May 20 as well as the team match play on May 21-22.  GOLF Channel and Peacock will present live tournament coverage all three days. Visit NBCSports.com full programming schedule.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW
Go to the Cle Elum Regional homepage for a closer look at various aspects of the event. Live scoring will be provided by Golfstat at the following link. For the latest updates and information on the Sun Devil Women's Golf program, follow our Twitter/Instagram accounts (@SunDevilWGolf), like our Facebook page (facebook.com/sundevilwgolf/), and visit our website (thesundevils.com). Find Coach Farr-Kaye (@missymkaye) and Coach Tatman (@CoachMikayla_) on Twitter as well.