UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Head coach Denise St. Pierre and the Penn State women's golf team announced its 2019 fall schedule earlier this week. The Nittany Lions will compete in four tournaments next fall including the annual Nittany Lion Invitational during the third weekend in September.
Penn State will open its season with a return trip to the Cougar Classic at Yeamans Hall on September 8-10. This marks the ninth time since 2010 that the Nittany Lions will travel to Charleston, South Carolina for the event. Last year's Cougar Classic was shortened by weather after just 36 holes with PSU finishing 11th.
Following a week off, the Nittany Lions will host their annual home tournament with the Nittany Lion Invitational on September 21 and 22. Penn State came-from-behind in the final round of the 2018 tournament to secure its 22nd NLI title and third in the last four years with a third round score of 9-under, 279, the second-lowest 18-hole total in school history.
Freshman Sarah Willis (Eaton, Ohio) drained five-straight birdies to open her final round while adding an eagle on the ninth to earn individual medalist honors with a tournament and Penn State record score of 205 (11-under).
Penn State then closes out September with a trip to another familiar event, the Bettie Lou Evans Invitational, hosted by the University of Kentucky on September 27-29. The Nittany Lions had another fantastic final round in this event last season carding an 18-hole tournament and program record 10-under, 278, finishing in second.
Senior Cara Basso (Downingtown, Pa.) registered a team-best seven birdies and one eagle in the round finishing the tournament in second place with a career-low 9-under (207), the second-lowest 54-hole total in school history.
The Nittany Lions then have a month off before closing out the fall season for the sixth consecutive year at the Landfall Tradition in Wilmington, North Carolina. Penn State finished eighth in last year's event.
Penn State lost four seniors to graduation from the 2018-19 roster, but still returns a veteran group for the upcoming season while adding a decorated freshman group that will continue the strong internal competition come September.