Nicole Whiston, Bardwell Claim Top-20 Finishes

Tuesday, October 8

Chicago, IL | Medinah Country Club

All Day

University of Tennessee

Illini Invitational at Medinah

October 08, 2019 | Women's Golf

Team Leaderboard Player Leaderboard

MEDINAH, Ill. – Two Lady Vols notched top-20 finishes as Tennessee closed out its third tournament of the fall Tuesday at the Illini Invitational.

In just her third collegiate tournament, freshman Nicole Whiston finished in a tie for fifth place – a career-best mark. Propelled by a season-best round of 68 in round one on Monday, Whiston finished the event a season-best 5-under.

All three of Whiston's finishes so far this season have been inside the top 20, and she has been Tennessee's top player on the leaderboard in every round this fall.

Tennessee's second-highest scorer, sophomore Mikayla Bardwell, registered her eighth-career top-20 finish with a tie for 20^th place. Bardwell carded two rounds under par during the tournament, marking the first tournament of her collegiate career in which she has accomplished that feat.

The Illini Invitational marks the second tournament in a row this fall that Tennessee has placed multiple finishers inside the top 20 (Mercedes-Benz Intercollegiate).

The Lady Vols finished in ninth place as a team, as Mariah Smith, Micheala Williams and Malia Stovall rounded out Tennessee's lineup.

Smith tied for 58^th overall with a 10-over score, while Williams and Stovall finished two strokes back from her, in a tie for 64^th place.

Competing as an individual, Hadley Walts tied for 50^th place and shot 8-over. She tied a career-best round on Tuesday, carding a 72.

Final Scores:
Team
1       Kent State -11 (853)
2       Ole Miss -10 (854)
3       Illinois              -4 (860)
T4     Louisville          -2 (862)
T4     Maryland          -2 (862)
6       Oklahoma -1 (863)
7       Augusta               +4 (868)
8       Texas Tech          +8 (872)
9       Tennessee           +12 (876)
10     Indiana +20 (884)
11     Purdue +22 (886)
12     San Jose State +26 (890)
13     Kennesaw State +27 (891)
14     Notre Dame +33 (897)
15     Wisconsin +37 (901)

Tennessee Team
Nicole Whiston            T5 211 (-5)
Mikayla Bardwell         T20 216 (E)
Mariah Smith               T58 226 (+10)
Micheala Williams       T64 228 (+12)
Malia Stovall                T64 228 (+12)

Tennessee Individual
Hadley Walts               T50 224 (+8)

Next Up: The Lady Vols head to West Point, Miss. for the Magnolia Invitational this weekend, hosted by Mississippi State. Competition begins on Sunday and runs through Tuesday.