FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (Aug. 14, 2024) – Northern Arizona University head golf coach
Brad Bedortha has announced the 2024-25 Fall and Spring schedules. The slate includes nine regular season tournaments leading up to the Big Sky Conference Championships in April and features several events both locally in Arizona and around the country.
The Lumberjacks play host to two tournaments, beginning with The Clash at Boulder Creek in October and the annual Red Rocks Invitational in March.
Bedortha brings back a wealth of talent including the 2024 Big Sky individual champion
Lizzie Neale and the 2024 Big Sky Freshman of the Year,
Amy Hodgkins.
Ellena Slater and
Nina Lukyanenko return for their junior seasons along with sophomore
Frankie Dezis. NAU also welcomes two true freshmen in
Ava Bates and
Sumin Kang.
"We have a really good competitive schedule this year. We have added a few tournaments which we haven't played in quite a while, and one in South Carolina that we have never been to," said Bedortha. "Thankfully, we have been able to get into a few bigger events this year, which will be nice to test ourselves against some higher ranked competitors. We have two tournaments in the spring in which we're the defending champions, which will be great to try to defend out titles."
The Fall season gets underway on Sept. 9-10 at the Branch Law Firm / Dick McGuire Invitational at the University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course. It will be the team's first trip back to the UNM course in Albuquerque, N.M. since NCAA Regionals in 2022.
After a week break, the Lumberjacks are back in action at the Golfweek Red Sky Classic in Vail, Colo., from Sept. 23-25 at the Red Sky-Fazio Golf Course. NAU competed at the Red Sky Classic in consecutive years in 2021-22 and 2022-23, finishing seventh in 2021.
October takes the 'Jacks to South Carolina for the Edisto Island Invitational from Oct. 14-15. The Fall season concludes with the fourth-annual Clash at Boulder Creek which NAU will host from Oct. 20-22 in Boulder City, Nev., at the Boulder Creek Golf Course. Last season, the Lumberjacks finished third at the tournament and set three new school records, including a 54-hole program low of 852 (-13).
After taking a break for the Winter and holidays, Northern Arizona begins the Spring season in Palm Desert, Calif., where they look to defend their Mountain Classic Match Play title from a year ago on Feb. 10-12. Wyoming and Boise State will co-host the tournament at the Classic Club. NAU finished runners-up in 2023 before claiming the team title last year.
For the sixth-straight season, the Lumberjacks will compete at the Grand Canyon Invitational on Feb. 25-26 at the Grand Canyon Golf Course in Phoenix, Ariz. NAU finished 11
th last year, but have notched top ten finishes at the tournament in four out of the last five years.
March is a busy month for the Lumberjacks, who compete in three tournaments leading up to April's Big Sky Championships. The month starts at the Pizza Hut Lady Thunderbird Invitational from March 7-9 in St. George, Utah. It's then a quick turnaround as NAU returns to Arizona to prepare for the annual Red Rocks Invitational on March 14-16 at the Oakcreek Country Club in Sedona, Ariz. Northern Arizona has hosted the tournament annually since 2006 and have won five times, including in 2024.
The final tune-up before the Big Sky Championships takes place in Phoenix, Ariz., for the PING ASU Invitational at the Papago Golf Course from March 28-30. It will be NAU's first appearance in the tournament since the 2016-17 seasons.
The Big Sky Conference Championships take place from April 14-16 in Litchfield Park, Ariz., at the Wigwam-Blue Golf Course. Neale looks to defend her individual title from a year ago. Neale set a single round championship record, and program record, with a 64 (-7) in the final round to win NAU its second individual title in the past three years. As a team, the Lumberjacks finished second with a final total of 864 (+12) strokes, setting a program championship record.
To view the 2024-25 schedule, click
HERE.
To keep up to date with the Northern Arizona golf team, follow the squad on X, Instagram and Facebook.
