Minnesota’s women’s golf team started the postseason portion of its schedule by finishing seventh at the Big Ten Championships in State College, Pa.
The Gophers shot a collective 1,247 over the four-round tournament. Minnesota finished 51 strokes behind first-place Indiana. The Hoosiers won their seventh Big Ten title with a 1,196.
Two of the top three individual finishers also hailed from Indiana. Erin Carney of the Hoosiers tied with Iowa’s Stacy Bergman at 299 for first place. Indiana’s Jenny Gray ended her four rounds one stroke back in third place.
Amy Dahle was the top Minnesota golfer, finishing tied for 26th place with a 311. Donna Boom was one stroke behind Dahle for 31st place. Keri Sawvell, Michelle Ballou and Kristi Weichert finished in 35th, 54th and 56th place, respectively.
Men’s golf places third
Minnesota’s men’s golf team ended the regular season by finishing tied for third place with Illinois, shooting a collective 858 at the Wolverine Invitational in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Ohio State took the team title with a two-over 854 during the three-round event. Kent State finished right behind with an 855.
The big story at the invitational, however, was the Gophers’ James McLean. The Big Ten leader in stroke average won the individual title by shooting a nine-under 204. Teammate Adam Dooley was leading McLean by one stroke headed into the final round. Dooley then went on to shoot a 74 in the third round to end up tied with Kentucky’s Jeremy Langley for fourth place.
Minnesota’s next stop will be the Big Ten Championships May 8 in East Lansing, Mich.

— Tim Nichols