Monday, September 14
Albuquerque, N.M.
All Day
Montana State University
at
Branch Law Firm/McGuire Invitational - Day 1
Photo by: Bobcat Creative Services
Women’s Golf Heads to Albuquerque for Season Opener
9/13/2026 1:26:00 PM | Women's Golf
Cats to open season at Branch Law Firm/McGuire Invitational for the second-straight year
BOZEMAN, Mont. --- The Montana State women's golf team tees off its 2026-27 campaign at the Branch Law Firm/McGuire Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M., starting on Monday and continuing through Tuesday.
The tournament will consist of 54 holes of stroke play, with the first two rounds taking place on Monday and the third and final round to follow on Tuesday. Both days of competition will begin with a 7:30 a.m. MT shotgun start on the par-72, 6,354-yard UNM Championship Course on the campus of the University of New Mexico.
"We're looking forward to getting our season started at New Mexico," Montana State head coach Brittany Basye said. "The field is very competitive, so we know we'll need to be ready to play some good golf. Eva, Norah, and Ashleigh have all seen the course. Eva played very well here last year, finishing 2-under par total and tying for second place. Sailor, Lauren, and Nadia have not competed on the Championship Course before, so it will be important for them to develop a solid plan during the practice round. It is a demanding course with elevated greens, and smart course management will be essential."
The Bobcats will open their season against a competitive field of 13 teams from around the west. The field includes nationally ranked competition in Pepperdine, which enters the season ranked 13th nationally in Golfweek's preseason rankings, as well as preseason Big Sky favorite Northern Arizona. Montana State will also face Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Northridge, Fresno State, Nevada, New Mexico, Sacramento State, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, UC Irvine, UNLV, and UTEP in the desert.
Six Bobcats will make the trip to New Mexico for the squad's first tournament of the year. Sophomore Sailor Graham will lead off the Cats' lineup, followed by seniors Eva Heinz and Norah Seidl, and sophomores Ashleigh Wilson and Lauren Nau. Junior Nadia Sanz Ouezzani will compete individually in her Bobcat debut after transferring to Montana State from Odessa College.
"The first tournament always brings a few butterflies, but we've had some great practice time over the past couple of weeks," Basye said. "This team plays well together and has valuable experience. Now, we just need to go out, compete, and be where our feet are on every shot. The ladies are ready to get the season started – it's go time. I'm excited to see what this team accomplishes throughout the season."
Montana State is poised for another strong season, entering the 2026-27 campaign projected to finish second in the Big Sky Conference, as voted on by the league's 11 coaches in the Big Sky Women's Golf Preseason Coaches' Poll on Sept. 3. The Bobcats are coming off a third-place team finish and their second-straight individual title at last year's Big Sky Championships after Norah Seidl took home medalist honors last season. In 2025-26, the Bobcats posted a record-breaking 295.17 four-player scoring average, earned their first team victory since 2002 with a 15-stroke victory at the Yellowstone Intercollegiate, won three individual titles, and snagged five All-Big Sky honors in a record-breaking campaign.
Montana State returns five golfers from last year's team, including seniors Heinz and Seidl and sophomores Graham, Nau, and Wilson, while welcoming junior newcomers Elvira Flodström and Sanz Ouezzani to Bozeman for the upcoming season.
Montana State opens its season in Albuquerque for the second-straight year after posting a strong performance at the Branch Law Firm/McGuire Invitational last year. The Bobcats finished fourth as a team behind Heinz's 2-under 214 performance, helping her earn a then-career-best runner-up result. Wilson and Seidl both made their Bobcat debuts at last year's edition of the tournament and, along with Heinz, will bring prior experience on the UNM Championship Course to the 2026 iteration of the Branch Law Firm/McGuire invitational.
The Bobcats are paired with Nevada and Northern Arizona for Monday's first two rounds and will tee off from holes 4-7 in a 7:30 a.m. MT shotgun start. Sanz Ouezzani is paired with golfers from Cal State Fullerton and New Mexico and will begin her day on hole 18. Live scoring will be available at scoreboard.clippd.com.
Follow the Bobcats
For the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Montana State women's golf team, follow the Bobcats on Twitter and Instagram at @MSUBobcatsGolf. Information on the Montana State athletic program can be found online at msubobcats.com or by following the Bobcats on Twitter at @MSUBobcats, Instagram at @MontanaStateBobcats, and on Facebook at Montana State Bobcats.
The tournament will consist of 54 holes of stroke play, with the first two rounds taking place on Monday and the third and final round to follow on Tuesday. Both days of competition will begin with a 7:30 a.m. MT shotgun start on the par-72, 6,354-yard UNM Championship Course on the campus of the University of New Mexico.
"We're looking forward to getting our season started at New Mexico," Montana State head coach Brittany Basye said. "The field is very competitive, so we know we'll need to be ready to play some good golf. Eva, Norah, and Ashleigh have all seen the course. Eva played very well here last year, finishing 2-under par total and tying for second place. Sailor, Lauren, and Nadia have not competed on the Championship Course before, so it will be important for them to develop a solid plan during the practice round. It is a demanding course with elevated greens, and smart course management will be essential."
The Bobcats will open their season against a competitive field of 13 teams from around the west. The field includes nationally ranked competition in Pepperdine, which enters the season ranked 13th nationally in Golfweek's preseason rankings, as well as preseason Big Sky favorite Northern Arizona. Montana State will also face Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Northridge, Fresno State, Nevada, New Mexico, Sacramento State, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, UC Irvine, UNLV, and UTEP in the desert.
Six Bobcats will make the trip to New Mexico for the squad's first tournament of the year. Sophomore Sailor Graham will lead off the Cats' lineup, followed by seniors Eva Heinz and Norah Seidl, and sophomores Ashleigh Wilson and Lauren Nau. Junior Nadia Sanz Ouezzani will compete individually in her Bobcat debut after transferring to Montana State from Odessa College.
"The first tournament always brings a few butterflies, but we've had some great practice time over the past couple of weeks," Basye said. "This team plays well together and has valuable experience. Now, we just need to go out, compete, and be where our feet are on every shot. The ladies are ready to get the season started – it's go time. I'm excited to see what this team accomplishes throughout the season."
Montana State is poised for another strong season, entering the 2026-27 campaign projected to finish second in the Big Sky Conference, as voted on by the league's 11 coaches in the Big Sky Women's Golf Preseason Coaches' Poll on Sept. 3. The Bobcats are coming off a third-place team finish and their second-straight individual title at last year's Big Sky Championships after Norah Seidl took home medalist honors last season. In 2025-26, the Bobcats posted a record-breaking 295.17 four-player scoring average, earned their first team victory since 2002 with a 15-stroke victory at the Yellowstone Intercollegiate, won three individual titles, and snagged five All-Big Sky honors in a record-breaking campaign.
Montana State returns five golfers from last year's team, including seniors Heinz and Seidl and sophomores Graham, Nau, and Wilson, while welcoming junior newcomers Elvira Flodström and Sanz Ouezzani to Bozeman for the upcoming season.
Montana State opens its season in Albuquerque for the second-straight year after posting a strong performance at the Branch Law Firm/McGuire Invitational last year. The Bobcats finished fourth as a team behind Heinz's 2-under 214 performance, helping her earn a then-career-best runner-up result. Wilson and Seidl both made their Bobcat debuts at last year's edition of the tournament and, along with Heinz, will bring prior experience on the UNM Championship Course to the 2026 iteration of the Branch Law Firm/McGuire invitational.
The Bobcats are paired with Nevada and Northern Arizona for Monday's first two rounds and will tee off from holes 4-7 in a 7:30 a.m. MT shotgun start. Sanz Ouezzani is paired with golfers from Cal State Fullerton and New Mexico and will begin her day on hole 18. Live scoring will be available at scoreboard.clippd.com.
Follow the Bobcats
For the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Montana State women's golf team, follow the Bobcats on Twitter and Instagram at @MSUBobcatsGolf. Information on the Montana State athletic program can be found online at msubobcats.com or by following the Bobcats on Twitter at @MSUBobcats, Instagram at @MontanaStateBobcats, and on Facebook at Montana State Bobcats.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Golf
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