Women’s Golf Hosts 15 Teams for Boilermaker Spring Classic, April 6-7

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Coming off a victory at the Coach Mo Classic, Purdue Women's Golf looks to continue its momentum on one of its home courses. Welcoming 15 other teams to West Lafayette, Purdue hosts the Boilermaker Spring Classic (April 6-7) on the Ackerman-Allen Course at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex. Admission is free for the two-day event.
 
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Sunday, April 6: Rounds 1 and 2 (9 a.m. ET Shotgun Start)
Monday, April 7: Round 3 (9 a.m. ET Shotgun Start)
 
THE LINEUP
Natasha Kiel – Sr.

• Ranked No. 47 in the national rankings
• Three-time medalist this season (Boilermaker Classic, White Sands Bahamas Invitational, Coach Mo Classic), the fourth Boilermaker in program history to win at least three times in a single season
• Reigning Big Ten Golfer of the Week after leading the team to a victory at the Coach Mo Classic, while also earning medalist honors with a 3-under 213 (68-71-74)
• Making her 24th appearance as a Boilermaker, but playing in her 36th collegiate tournament
• Leads the team in stroke average (73.15), birdies (79), rounds of par-or-better (11) and rounds in the 60s (5)
• Has made two hole-in-ones this season (final round of the Boilermaker Classic, opening round of the Coach Mo Classic), both leading to individual victories
• Paced Purdue in four of the team's five fall tournaments, including two victories and a runner-up performance, to earn a spot on the ANNIKA Award Watch List at the end of the fall
• Ended the fall with co-medalist honors at the White Sands Bahamas Invitational, leading the field in par-4 scoring (-3) and recording the fourth-lowest 36-hole total in program history (68-73—141)
• Finished runner-up in a stacked field at the Windy City Collegiate Classic (68-72-73—213) and made 14 birdies over 54 holes
• Medalist of the Boilermaker Classic, her first individual win, while leading Purdue to the team title; fired a career-low 211 (67-76-69) that featured her lowest round as a Boilermaker as well as a hole-in-one in the final round
• Led the Boilermaker Classic field in birdies (13) and par-3 scoring (-4), including playing the par 3s 4-under during the final round
• ne of four Boilermakers to crack the lineup for all 13 tournaments last year, her first season at Purdue after transferring from Vanderbilt; recorded a 74.29 stroke average to rank third on the team

 
Momo Sugiyama – Sr.

• Two-time All-Big Ten honoree in both seasons as a Boilermaker
• Ranked No. 150 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and No. 127 in the college golf rankings
• Making her 36th appearance as a Boilermaker, cracking the lineup in every tournament since arriving in West Lafayette
• Last time out, tied for eighth (72-72-77—221) to help Purdue win the Coach Mo Classic and secure her 12th career Top 10
• Tied for fifth at the Briar's Creek Invitational (70-70—140) with the third best 36-hole score in program history
• Holds a 73.05 career stroke average at Purdue, which is on track to break the school record (73.08) set by national champion Maria Hernandez (2005-09)
• Has 11 career rounds in the 60s as a Boilermaker, tied with Hernandez, Kan Bunnabodee and Ashley Kozlowski for fifth in program history
• One of 10 Boilermakers all-time to post multiple rounds of 67-or-better
• Has a 73.58 stroke average this season, ranking second on the team; also ranks second in birdies (68) and team-low round (8)
• Tied for fourth (69-74-73—216) to help Purdue win the season-opening Boilermaker Classic, matching her best finish for the Old Gold and Black
• Last year, produced a team-best 72.45 stroke average for the third-best single-season stroke average in school history; carded 19 rounds of par-or-better a year ago, the third most in a single season by a Boilermaker
• Tied Purdue's single-season record with six rounds in the 60s during the 2022-23 campaign
• Two-time WGCA All-American Scholar, Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten

 
Jocelyn Bruch – Sr.

• Making her team-high 41st appearance as a Boilermaker, all in the Purdue lineup and totaling 109 rounds
• Playing in her eighth tournament this season
• Holds a 75.68 stroke average
• Last time out, carded a season-low 222 (70-79-73) to crack the Top 10 and help Purdue win the Coach Mo Classic; her opening round 70 (-2) was also her best of the year, and her 11 birdies throughout the tournament ranked second in the 90-player field
• Tied for eighth at the Match in the Desert (73), her best finish of the season
• Tied for 24th (75-75-77—227) to help Purdue win the season-opening Boilermaker Classic
• Ended last season No. 283 in the national rankings
• Recorded a 74.43 stroke average last season, which included posting the team-low round eight times
• Made a hole-in-one in the final round of the 2024 NCAA Las Vegas Regional, leading the Boilermakers with a 74 in extremely windy conditions; tallied 41 pars throughout the week to lead the 69-player field and tied for 24th on the individual leaderboard (76-72-74—222)
• Tied for 14th at the 2024 B1G Championships, securing her best placing and 54-hole total (73-71-72—216) of the spring and joining Sugiyama with Purdue's only par-or-better three-round scores in the tournament since 2018
• Fired a career-low 209 (69-70-70) at the 2023 Schooner Fall Classic for the 10th-best three-round total in school history
• Earned a 2024 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award
• Three-time Academic All-Big Ten; graduated last spring

Samantha Brown – Fr.

• Appearing in the lineup for the 11th time
• Holds a 75.96 stroke average
• Ranks second on the team in pars (290)
• Last time out, helped Purdue win the Coach Mo Classic by tying for 16th (75-73-76—224) for her best finish as a Boilermaker; made a hole-in-one in the second round
• Tied for 24th at the White Sands Bahamas Invitational (75-76—151)
• Made 40 pars at the Mary Fossum Invitational to rank second in the 84-player field
• Tied for 30th at the prestigious ANNIKA Intercollegiate with a career-low 221 (78-71-72) that featured her first under-par round as a Boilermaker
• In her collegiate debut, tied for 21st (75-75-76—226) to help Purdue win the Boilermaker Classic
• Finished her junior golf career ranked No. 49 in the country by Junior Golf Scoreboard
• Participated in the 2024 U.S. Women's Open and 2024 U.S. Girls Junior Championship
• Won the 2024 Women's Western Junior
• Four-time all-state honoree, winning 24 of 48 high school tournaments and finishing 1-under par throughout her entire high school career, which included a cumulative 37-under par as a senior
• As a senior, named Indiana Girls Golfer of the Year by USA Today, earning a spot on the All-USA Today HSSA Girls Golf Team

 
Jasmine Kahler – So.

• Making her 20th appearance as a Boilermaker, appearing in the lineup for the 10th time this season
• Holds a 75.13 stroke average
• Ranked No. 199 in the country
• Named Big Ten Women's Golfer of the Week after a runner-up finish at the Briar's Creek Invitational (70-68—138), tying a school record for 36-hole total
• Led the field in birdies (11) at Briar's Creek, while her final round 68 was a new career low
• Paced the Boilermakers at the Purdue Puerto Rico Classic by tying for seventh (74-71-69—214) in a field that featured 23 of the country's Top 100 golfers; her final round 69 (-3) tied a career low
• Led the field in birdies (8) and ranked second in par-4 scoring (-2) while placing sixth at the White Sands Bahamas Invitational (69-77—146)
• Played in 10 tournaments as a freshman, including four in the Purdue lineup (final four of the season), and recorded a 74.43 stroke average
• Led the Boilermakers at the 2024 NCAA Las Vegas Regional, tying for eighth at even-par (71-70-75—216) for her second Top 10 of the season and her first Top 10 as part of the Purdue lineup
• Collected a Top 20 finish in her first Big Ten Championships, ending the tournament with a 1-under 71 to finish 2-over for the week (75-72-71—218); made 40 pars to rank third in the 84-player field
• Competing as an individual, tied for sixth at The Bruzzy last season with a 213 (73-70-70), the eighth-best 54-hole total by a freshman in program history

 
Michaela Headlee – Fr. (Competing as an individual)

• Competing for the sixth time in her career
• Holds a 79.33 stroke average
• Last time out, competing as an individual, tied for 22nd at the Coach Mo Classic with a career-low 226 (70-80-76—226); her opening round 70 (-2) was a season best
• Participating as an individual, tied for 46th at the White Sands Bahamas Invitational to end the fall (81-77—158)
• In her collegiate debut, tied for 83rd at the season-opening Boilermaker Classic (77-86-84—247)
• Four-time all-state honoree
• Finished runner-up (+2) at the 2023 IHSAA State Championship to lead Carmel to a second consecutive state title
• Posted a 73.1 stroke average as a senior

 
Lauren Timpf – Fr. (Competing as an individual)

• Making her ninth appearance as a Boilermaker
• Holds a 75.68 stroke average, leading the team's freshmen
• Last time out, competing as an individual, tied for 24th at the Coach Mo Classic (76-73-78—227)
• Led Purdue at the Spartan Sun Coast Invitational by tying for 30th (75-73-73—221)
• Has recorded the team-low round three times throughout the season
• In her first time in the Purdue lineup, tied for 15th at the Mary Fossum Invitational (71-75-74—220), which included leading the Boilermakers in the first two rounds
• Tied for 21st at the season-opening Boilermaker Classic (76-74-76—226), competing as an individual
• Finished her junior golf career ranked No. 98 in the country by Junior Golf Scoreboard
• Three-time MHSAA State Champion
• Recorded a 69.4 stroke average as a senior, leading to medalist honors at 10 events
• Made the Round of 64 at the 2024 U.S. Girls Junior Championship after tying for 33rd in stroke play

 
Jade Gu – Sr. (Competing as an individual)

• Appearing in her 19th tournament as a Boilermaker
• Holds a 75.67 stroke average over two tournaments this season
• Tied for 16th at the season-opening Boilermaker Classic (78-74-73—225), competing as an individual
• Tied for 54th at the Mary Fossum Invitational (75-77-77—229), competing as an individual
• Played in eight tournaments a season ago, including five times in the Purdue lineup, and recorded a 76.41 stroke average
• Came off the bench to play in the third round of the 2024 NCAA Championships
• Tied for 39th at last spring's Briar's Creek Invitational (70-71-82—223) which included a team-low 70 (-2) in the opening round; her 54-hole total of 223 was a season best
• Two-time WGCA All-American Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten

 
Caroline Dasch – So. (Competing as an individual)

• Making her collegiate golf debut
• As a team captain, helped lead Anderson to the 2022 UIL 5A state championship by finishing Top 15 on the individual leaderboard
• Earned UIL 5A Second Team All-State as well as All-Centex honors as a junior
• Named to the 2020 AJGA Junior All-Star Team

 
Alison Hildebrand – Jr. (Competing as an individual)

• Making her collegiate golf debut
• Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten last season

 
Lana Malek – So. (Competing as an individual)

• Appearing in her fourth tournament as a Boilermaker
• Played in three tournaments as a freshman last season, cracking the Purdue lineup twice
• Recorded a 76.38 stroke average a season ago
• In her first tournament as a Boilermaker, tied for 30th individually at the Boilermaker Classic (72-73-77—222)

 
THE FIELD
Akron
Bradley
Butler
Cincinnati
Denver
Detroit Mercy
Eastern Michigan
Illinois
Illinois State
Minnesota
Northern Illinois
Princeton
Purdue (Host)
South Alabama
Tennessee Tech
Toledo
 
THE COURSE

• The tournament will take place on of one of Purdue's home courses, the Ackerman-Allen Course at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex.
• The par 72 course will play at 6,211 yards for the Boilermaker Spring Classic.
• Ackerman-Allen, formerly the Purdue South Course and later Ackerman Hills – originally was designed by Indiana Golf Hall of Famer Bill Diddle and built in 1934. The course later went through a redesign by the legendary Pete Dye.
• The course hosted the 1961 NCAA Men's Championships at which Purdue won the team title and Jack Nicklaus was the medalist.

 
BOILERS IN THE NATIONAL RANKING

• Purdue enters the tournament ranked No. 38 in the country.
• Individually, three Boilermakers crack the nation's Top 200: Natasha Kiel (No. 47), Momo Sugiyama (No. 127) and Jasmine Kahler (No. 199).

 
LAST TIME OUT – TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

• Led by medalist Natasha Kiel, who earned her third individual victory of the season, Purdue captured the Coach Mo Classic at St. Johns Golf and Country Club (March 31-April 1).
• The Boilermakers (+13) led wire-to-wire all three rounds, besting 15 other teams and claiming a four-shot victory over runner-up Charleston (+17).
• The victory, Purdue's second of the year, marked the first time the Boilermakers have won multiple tournaments in consecutive seasons since a six-year stretch from the fall of 2005 to the spring of 2011.
• The Boilermakers paced the field in birdies (38), par-3 scoring (+3) and par-4 scoring (+27) as well as eagles (2) thanks to a pair of aces from Kiel and Samantha Brown on the first day of tournament play.
• Momo Sugiyama (+5) tied for eighth to crack the Top 10 for the fourth time this season and the 12th time in her career. Joining Kiel and Sugiyama in the Top 10 was fellow senior Jocelyn Bruch, who tied for 10th at 6-over. She made 11 birdies over three rounds to match Kiel and rank second in the field.
• Brown (+8) tied for 16th, the best finish for the freshman Boilermaker this year.

 
ANOTHER B1G WOMEN'S GOLFER OF THE WEEK

• Fresh off leading Purdue Women's Golf to a victory at the Coach Mo Classic, senior Natasha Kiel has been named a Big Ten Women's Golfer of the Week (April 3).
• Kiel became the second Boilermaker to collect the weekly accolade this season, joining Jasmine Kahler, who was the conference's golfer of the week after her performance at the Briar's Creek Invitational (March 9-11). The pair of Boilermakers gave Purdue multiple Big Ten Golfers of the Week in a single season for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign.
• Along with helping the team capture its second win of the year, Kiel secured medalist honors for the third time this season. She finished 3-under through 54 holes at St. John's Golf and Country Club, one stroke ahead of Western Kentucky's Sydney Hackett.
• The senior led the field in par-3 scoring (-3) and par-4 scoring (-1), the only golfer in the 90-player field to play the par 4s under par throughout the tournament.
• Kiel's 11 birdies over three rounds ranked second in the field to go along with her opening round hole-in-one that proved to be the difference.

 
KAHLER NAMED BIG TEN WOMEN'S GOLFER OF THE WEEK

• After matching the record for the lowest 36-hole score in program history, sophomore Jasmine Kahler was named Big Ten Women's Golfer of the Week (March 13).
• Kahler earned the weekly accolade for the first time in her career, becoming the first Boilermaker to collect the honor since Ashley Kozlowski (Feb. 15, 2023).
• Kahler led Purdue to a runner-up finish at the Briar's Creek Invitational (March 9-11), while placing second herself with a 6-under 138 (70-68) that matched Melati Purti's two-round program best set at the 2019 Big Ten Championships.
• Along with tying a school record, Kahler finished 6-under for Purdue's lowest score (in relation to par) for a tournament this season. The second-place performance was her best as a Boilermaker, and she collected her fifth career Top 10.
• The Carlsbad, California, native led the 99-player field with 11 birdies over the 36 holes, while ranking second in par-4 scoring (-3).

 
KIEL THE MEDALIST

• Natasha Kiel's incredible senior season has featured three individual victories, becoming just the fourth Boilermaker in program history to win three times in a single season, joining Maria Hernandez (6; 2008-09), Paula Reto (4; 2012-13) and Aurora Kan (3; 2013-14).
• She started the season by claiming medalist honors and leading Purdue to a team victory at the Boilermaker Classic (Sept. 2-3). Kiel captured her first career individual victory, thanks in large part to a pair of rounds in the 60s. Kiel was 5-under for the season-opening tournament, recording her best 54-hole total as a Boilermaker (67-76-68—211). The New Hope, Pennsylvania, native also led the field in birdies (13) and par-3 scoring (-4) throughout the event. During the final round, she made six birdies and played the par 3s 4-under with two birdies and one par to go along with a hole-in-one on the par-3 17th.
• Kiel picked up her second victory of the season, earning co-medalist honors at the White Sands Bahamas Invitational (Oct. 19-20). The senior finished 2-under (68-73—141) alongside Georgia's Chantal El Chaib, leading Purdue to a runner-up finish to close out the fall season. Kiel's two-round score of 141 was the second-lowest 36-hole total in program history. She led the field in par-4 scoring (-3), while ranking third in par-5 scoring (-1).
• Her third victory came at the Coach Mo Classic (March 31-April), also leading the Boilermakers to the team title. She fired a 3-under 213 (68-71-74) that featured 11 birdies and a hole-in-one. Kiel also paced the field in par-3 scoring (-3) and par-4 scoring (-1), the only golfer in the 90-player field to play the par 4s under par throughout the tournament. The senior earned Big Ten Women's Golfer of the Week honors for her performance.

 
STARTING THE SEASON WITH A W

• Entering the final round of the Boilermaker Classic with a 13-shot cushion, Purdue made sure the lead was never in doubt. A final round 294 (+6), led by a 68 (-4) from medalist Natasha Kiel, allowed the Boilermakers to protect their home course and win their season-opening tournament for second straight season.
• Purdue finished the season opener 15-over par on the Kampen-Cosler Course at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex, 14 strokes ahead of runners-up Minnesota (+29).
• The Boilermakers controlled the tournament from the start, leading the field in par-3 scoring (+4), par-4 scoring (+28) and pars (178), while ranking second in birdies (35) and par-5 scoring (-4) as a team.

 
WINNING WITH BYRD

• With the win at the season-opening Boilermaker Classic as well as the Coach Mo Classic, Purdue has now won five tournaments under head coach Zack Byrd, who is in only his third season as head coach.
• A victory at the Coach Mo Classic gave the Boilermakers multiple tournament wins in consecutive seasons for the first time since a six-year stretch from the fall of 2005 to the spring of 2011.
• Purdue has also claimed victories at the 2023 Boilermaker Classic, the 2023 Tulane Classic and the 2023 Mary Fossum Invitational with Byrd at the helm.
• The five victories mark the most by Purdue in a three-year span since winning six from 2012-14.
• Purdue collected just one tournament title in the five seasons prior to Byrd's arrival.

 
POSTSEASON PLAY ON THE WAY

• Up next, the Big Ten Championships returns to Bulle Rock Golf Course in Havre de Grace, Maryland, just outside of Baltimore (April 18-20). Last year, Purdue fired an even-par 864 (292-289-283) for the team's lowest score in the conference tournament since 2016.
• The Boilermakers plan to hear their names called for postseason play in one of six NCAA Regionals (May 5-7) with sights set on a return trip to the NCAA Championships in Carlsbad, California (May 16-21).