Women's Golf | 3/7/2026 11:45:00 AM

Litchfield Park, Ariz. -- Coming off a successful fall season, Minnesota Crookston women's golf hits the links for the first time this Spring at the SMSU Spring Invite in Arizona. It will be the first of two tournaments for the maroon and gold in Florida.

The SMSU Invite will take place at Wigwam Resort on Monday, March 9, with the final round on Tuesday.

In the fall, Minnesota Crookston arguably had their best fall season in program history. The Golden Eagles finished with all five tournaments in the top-10, had a third place finish and two second place finishes.

The Golden Eagles head to Arizona ranked 20th in the region, their highest ever ranking as a program to start the spring season.

Anaka Lysne (Sr., Wahpeton, N.D.) was fantastic in the fall, finishing in the top-10 three times, including a pair of seventh place finishes and a sixth place finish. Junior Ainsley McLain (Jr., Grafton, N.D.) started the fall season with a ninth place finish and ended the fall season with a career best fourth place marking at the USF Invitational out of 71 golfers. Lysne and McLain are ranked 82nd and 85th, respectively in the region.

Freshman Emma Pierson (Fr., Cherry Valley, Ill.) was a star on the course her first semester as a Golden Eagle. Pierson currently ranks 60th in the region and finished second at the USF Invitational to close out the fall season, which was a career best.

A year ago, the Golden Eagles finished in eighth place at the same tournament, with Lysne placing in the top five.

Adams State, Metropolitan State, Concordia-St. Paul, Southwest Minnesota State, Western New Mexico, Minot State, Fort Lewis, Colorado Mesa, Chadron State, Mesa Community College, Bemidji State and the University of Lethbridge make up the field.