ALLENDALE, Mich. -- The Wayne State University women's golf team finished in sixth among 18 squads on Wednesday at the 2025 NCAA East Regional, just three strokes shy of qualifying for the NCAA Finals. Despite that, WSU's
Ting-Yu Kuo (Taipei, Taiwan / Taipei Municipal Zhong-zheng Senior) placed in a tie-for-third and advanced to the finals as the top individual not on one of the top five teams.
"I'm super proud of this group," said head coach
Larry Hamilton. "The whole day, the scores went back back and forth and in the end, we came up just shy of getting to nationals. We beat a lot of teams ranked ahead of us and that always feels good. Ting Ting played incredible, especially today in round three. She stayed patient and when the putter got hot, it got really hot. Seven birdies on that course with those pins was really special."
Kuo carded a three-day total of 220 (+4, 74-77-69) while shooting a 69 on Wednesday, the only round in the 60s by any player in the tournament or a Warrior this season. That effort catapulted her up seven slots from a tie-for-10th to a tie-for-third. The freshman's 69 is Wayne State's first 18-hole score in the 60s since April of 2023 and is just four strokes off
Maisarah Hezri's program record of 65.
Warrior Individuals (of 89 total)
T3.
Ting-Yu Kuo (Taipei, Taiwan / Taipei Municipal Zhong-zheng Senior), 220 (+4, 74-77-69)
T29.
Sophia Wygonik (Westland, Mich. / Livonia Franklin [Eastern Michigan]), 236 (+20, 81-77-78)
T42.
Sabel Imesch (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich. / Grosse Pointe South), 239 (+23, 80-77-82)
T48.
Claudia Portillo (Madrid, Spain / IES Ortega y Gassett), 240 (+24, 80-79-81)
T66.
Orianna Bylsma (Montague, Mich.), 244 (+28, 81-84-79)
The other individual not on a top-five team who's moving on with Kuo is Tiffin's Lisa Marie Schumacher. Schumacher, the No. 7 player in the country, finished one stroke behind Kuo in fifth with a 221 (+5, 70-75-76).
Team Standings (Top 10)
1. #10 Grand Valley State, 880 (+16, 290-298-292)
2. #5 Findlay, 891 (+27, 296-296-299)
3. #42 Ferris State, 923 (+59, 316-313-294)
4. #37 UIndy, 926 (+62, 306-318-302)
5. #19 Missouri-St. Louis, 929 (+65, 312-310-307)
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6. Wayne State, 932 (+68, 315-310-307)
7. #38 Tiffin, 935 (+71, 306-311-318)
8. Glenville State, 941 (+77, 314-319-308)
9. Franklin Pierce, 943 (+79, 319-316-308)
10. Saginaw Valley State, 947 (+83, 316-312-319)
The NCAA Finals will be played on May 13-17 at Boulder Creek Golf Club in Boulder City, Nev. There, all 18 teams and 8 individuals will complete 54 holes of stroke play over the course of the first three days. Following that 54 holes of stroke play, Kuo will look to be declared the individual champion.