STILLWATER, Minn. – Senior Emily Renner of the College of Saint Benedict golf team captured her second individual title in four competitions to lead the Bennies to a tie for 5^th place at the St. Catherine Fall Invitational which concluded Sunday at the Oak Glen Golf Course.

CSB shot a season-best two-round score of 637 (316-321) which represented their best round since carding a 631 (326-305) at the Emerald Greens Golf Course in Hastings, Minn., Sept. 14-15, 2019. The Bennies' first round of 316 was the best for a CSB squad since carding 314 in round two of the Gusties DIII Classic on Sept. 17-18, 2022. Saint Benedict now prepares for the MIAC Golf Championship which will be held on Oct. 7-9 at the Royal Golf Course in Lake Elmo, Minn.

CSB head coach Daryl Schomer was pleased with another solid performance by the Bennies. 

"The strong play is really a testament to how hard this team has worked both this fall and the offseason," said Schomer. "They push each other and are very supportive of each other as well. It's really fun to be a part of it all."

After setting a school record of a three-under par, 69 on day one at the Eagle Valley Golf Course in Woodbury, Minn., Renner, who finished a shot ahead of Bailey Lengfelder of Macalester (148-73-75), closed with a six-over par 78 (40-38) in round two for a three-over par total of 147 for her second-best round of the season. In the 78, she had 11 pars plus a birdie on the 500-yard par 5 14^th hole. As a result, she finished with a season-best eight birdies and 18 pars in the two-round performance.

In the first round, Renner had seven birdies and seven pars while shooting consecutive nine-hole totals of 34 and 35 to reach her 18-hole round of 69. Renner surpassed her own school record of two-under par 71 which she shot a year ago in the second round of the DIII Classic on the par 73 Emerald Greens Golf Course in Hastings, Minn., on Sept. 18, 2022.

On day one, she had birdies on the 458-yard, par 5 hole one; the 339-yard, par 4, sixth hole; the 130-yard, par 3, seventh hole; the 322-yard, par 4, eighth hole; the 501-yard par 5, 14^th hole; the 317-yard, par 4, 15^th hole and the 324-yard, par 4, 18^th hole. In addition, Renner had three consecutive birdies on the front nine on holes 6-8 and then finished the back nine with three birdies in her final five holes. With her fourth career title, Renner also registered her 13th top-10 finish in her career.

St. Catherine captured its own tournament team title with a two-round total of 23-over par, 599 (305, 294), and finished 20 shots ahead of first-day leader Carleton at 619 (303-316). St. Catherine had a tournament-best 294 in the second round. Finishing third was Bethel at 49-over par, 625 (311-314) while St. Catherine B was at 56-over par, 631 (315-316) for fourth place, while Saint Benedict was 61-over par 637 (316-321) with Macalester (318-319) and tied for fifth place in the team standings.

Aside from Renner, CSB had some standout efforts from other team members, including sophomore Maggie Roth, who had both a career-best round of 79 (40-39) and two-round total of 17-over par, 161 (82-79) in finishing in a tie for 24^th. She finished with 15 pars to go with five birdies in her career-best performance. In the second round today, she carded eight pars to go with birdies on the 365-yard par four ninth hole and the 338-yard, par four 13^th hole.   In the first round, she had a round of 82 (43-39) with birdies on the par four 458-yard hole one; and ended the day with birdies on hole 17 (437-yard par five) and hole 18 (324-yard, par four).  

Sophomore Jamie Bimberg, who was tied for 31st, moved up five spots after day one, as she carded a two-round total of 20 over par, 164 (83-81). Today, she had 10 pars and a birdie on 340-yard par 4 18^th hole in her 81 (40-41). On the first day, she had nine pars with her 83 (41-42) as she finished with 19 in the tourney.

Sophomore Catherine Jance was tied for 35th after carding a two-round total of 21-over par 165 (82-83). She registered a total of 16 pars with two birdies in the tourney. In the second round, Jance had nine pars to go with a birdie on the 320-yard, par four, 15th hole. On day one, she had an 82 as she had seven pars and had a birdie on the 345-yard, par four fourth hole.

First-year Taylar Nadler finished tied for 55th and moved up six spots after the second round. For the tournament, Nadler carded a 35-over par, 179 (92-87). Today, she had seven pars in her round of 83 (45-42). In round one, she was 2-over par, 92 (42-50) with six pars as she finished with 13 for the tournament.

Two other CSB players were scored as individuals, and both had solid performances. Junior Georgia Hinton finished tied for 41^st with the second-best two-round total of her career. She had 25-over par 169 (86-83). Today, she had a season-best round with her 11-over par 83 (44-39) with nine pars and a birdie on the 148-yard par 3 12^th hole. In total she had 13 pars and a birdie in the two rounds.

For the second straight tournament, junior Halle Strunk finished with a career-best performance after totaling a 174 (85-89). In placing in a tie for 48^th, Strunk had a career-best round 13-over par, 85 (42-43) with seven pars in the first round. Today, she had a 17-over par, 89 (44-45) with four pars. She totaled 11 pars in the tourney.