Grand Valley’s Stoll Wins NCAA Regional

Olivia Stoll of Haslett won the NCAA Div. II women’s golf Regional on May 8 to help launch her team to the national finals as well.

Stoll began the final round in third place but won by one stroke over two University of Findlay competitors. Stoll scored a 69 in the second round, one of the few golfers to shoot under par in any of the three rounds. 

Former Michigan Women’s Amateur champ, Anci Dy of Traverse City, placed T3 playing for the University of Indianapolis. Brook Herbstreit of Saginaw Valley placed 8th.

“I am super proud of how everyone bounced back in rounds two and three after a shaky first round,” Stoll said of her team, and her own 7-over par on day one. “No one lost confidence and we all knew that we could work our way right back in the top five.”

Stoll is what many would call a late bloomer, not taking up the game until midway through 9th grade. Most college-level golfers begin playing competitively in elementary school.

“The win still hasn’t sunk in yet,” she said the following day. “If you asked me three years ago if I would be in the place I am today with golf, I would have said you are crazy. It’s been such a rewarding feeling to see all the hard work I've put in pay off.”

Grand Valley placed third in qualifying, behind co-winners Findlay and Indianapolis. Ashland and Davenport also advanced to the national tournament, set for May 21-25 at Orange County National in Orlando.

“So proud of this team's resilience and ability to stay the course after not a great round 1,” said GVSU head coach Rebecca Mailloux. “This team has worked super hard this spring to prepare for these moments and I couldn't be happier for them to experience another national championship. This is a special group who have been together for a few years now and I know they will give it their all down in Florida. 

If the name sounds familiar, Stoll is the only daughter of Michigan State women’s golf coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll. The Spartans also qualified for the NCAA Nationals by finishing 3rd in the Div. 1 Regional it hosted at Forest Akers West. This is the second consecutive year MSU has gone to the NCAA finals.