By COURTLIN HAYGARTH | HSU Sports Network

EUREKA, Mo. — At what will be the site of the 2023 NCAA National Championships at Fox Run Golf Course in Eureka, Missouri, No. 3 Henderson State sits in fourth place after 36 holes with a 35-over 611 at the NCAA National Championships Preview. After a 21-over 309, HSU responded with a 14-over 302 in round two, which was the third best round of any team.

In a field that features the No. 1, No. 10, No. 15, No. 18 and No. 19 and the No. 23 programs according to the latest Women’s Golf Coaches Association poll, No. 1 Dallas Baptist leads the 16-team event at 18-over 594, followed by No. 10 West Texas A&M at 30-over 606 and No. 18 and event-host Missouri-St. Louis at 34-over 610. The Reddies lead fifth-place Central Oklahoma by 10 strokes.

Allie Bianchi paces the Reddies through two rounds with a 3-over 147, including shooting a 1-under 71 in the opening round. During the first 18 holes, Bianchi carded an eagle on the par 5, 463-yard sixth hole to assist with the sub-par round. 

Jinna Boonbumroongsuk reflected Bianchi’s opening round of play with her own 1-under 71 to climb sixteen spots and finish with a 36-hole score of 5-over 149 to currently be tied for fifth. Boonbumroongsuk recorded an eagle on the day and the rare albatross on the par 5, 469-yard 13th as the junior transfer holed out from the fairway.

True freshman Lily Nelson is third among the Reddie five-bag with a 13-over 157 for a tie at 27th. After a first round that saw Nelson card a 11-over 83, the Commerce City, Colorado native climbed the player leaderboard 35 spots with a second-round 2-over 74.

Daphney Tilton (T41) and Gracen Blount (T58) finished off HSU’s day-one performers after logging a 16-over 160 and 21-over 165, respectively. Blount, similar to Boonbumroongsuk, shot an eagle on the par 5, 13th during the second round. 

No. 3 Henderson St. will look to climb the team leaderboard in search of its third victory in three tournaments on the season from the Par 72, 6226-yard Fox Run Golf Course.