No. 18 Bulldogs Tied For Second After Opening Round Of The UCF Challenge

Sunday, January 25

Orlando, Fla.

Mississippi State

UCF Challenge

No. 18 Bulldogs Tied For Second After Opening Round Of The UCF Challenge

January 25, 2026 | Women's Golf

LEADERBOARD

By: Will Simmons, Assistant Director/Communications

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Mississippi State women's golf squad were one of six teams to open the UCF Challenge under par, as the 18th-ranked Bulldogs sit in a tie for second place at 7-under par. Three Bulldogs sit T11 at 2-under par: Ines Belchior, Moa Stridh and Avery Weed.

Belchior went through the entire opening round with only one bogey on her scorecard, the fewest of any Bulldog on the day. Her round of 2-under marked the third par or better round on her freshman season.

After making the turn at even par, Stridh strung together three birdies on the 13th, 14th and 16th holes to finish at 2-under par. This was the fourth time this season she has shot par or better.

Weed collected her eighth-straight round under par on Sunday and 12th par or better round of the season on Sunday. The NCAA's top-ranked golfer has now shot par or better in 43 rounds in her career.

Samantha Whateley finished 1-under in the opening day, marking her third straight under-par round, and will enter the second round in 16th. Izzy Pellot finished the day 1-over par in 30th.

The Bulldogs will have the early tee times in round two, as they will begin their day at 8 a.m. State will be paired with the leading seventh-ranked Auburn Tigers (-8) and the 21st-ranked Baylor Bears, who are tied with the Bulldogs at 7-under. Live scoring for the UCF Challenge is available at scoreboard.clippd.com.

UCF Challenge Leaderboard
1. Auburn, -8
2. Baylor, Mississippi State, -7
4. UCF, -5
5. Florida Gulf Coast, Penn State, -1
7. Abeline Christian, +3
8. Kent State, +4
9. USF, +5
10. East Carolina, South Alabama, +7
12. Nebraska, +8
13. North Florida, +12
14. Northern Illinois, +12
15. Old Dominion, +20
16. Charlotte, +21

Mississippi State
Name	Place	Rd. 1	+/-
Avery Weed	T11	70, -2	-2
Ines Belchior	T11	70, -2	-2
Samantha Whateley	16	71, -1	-1
Moa Stridh	T11	70, -2	-2
Izzy Pellot	30	73, +1	+1
Lynn van der Sluijs*	54	74, +3	+3
TEAM	T2	281, -7	-7

*Competing Individually

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