Monday, September 28
Davenport, Iowa (Davenport CC)
North Dakota State
at
Diane Thomason Invitational
Photo by: Zachary Lucy
NDSU Women’s Golf Travels to Iowa for Diane Thomason Invitational
9/25/2026 11:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
FARGO, N.D. – The North Dakota State women's golf team marks the halfway point in their fall portion of the schedule by traveling to Iowa to compete in the Diane Thomason Invitational on September 28-29.
Tournament Schedule
The Diane Thomason Invitational will be a 54-hole tournament, with the first 36 holes being played on Monday and the final 18 being played on Tuesday. Tee times on Monday will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a shotgun start, and tee times on Tuesday will begin at 8 a.m.
Follow the Action
Live stats will be available throughout the tournament and can be found on the NDSU women's golf schedule on gobison.com.
The Course
After being hosted at Finkbine Golf Course the last few seasons, this year's Diane Thomason Invitational will be hosted at Davenport Country Club in Pleasant Valley, Iowa. Just a few hundred yards from the banks of the Mississippi, the club was founded in 1924 and hired Henry Shapland Colt and Charles Hugh Alison to design the initial routing plan. The course utilizes the natural terrain and changes in elevation, bringing two beautiful creeks into play. The course's signature hole is the 426-yard par-4 16th, which has been awarded national recognition as an "All American Golf Hole" by Sports Illustrated. The hole is tucked back into the trees, with a tee shot that not only needs to avoid the numerous oaks but also carry the waters of Spencer Creek. After the initial drive, the hole opens up and provides an unobstructed view of the green, but the putting surface aggressively slopes off the green into the surrounding rough and bunker.
The Field
13 teams will compete at the Diane Thomason Invitational in Iowa. Alongside NDSU and hosts Iowa, the tournament field will include St. Thomas, Western Michigan, Northern Illinois, Omaha, Drake, Montana State, Northern Iowa, Missouri State, Bowling Green, South Dakota and Bradley.
Bison Competing
The Bison will take six golfers down to Iowa. The lineup will include Hannah Dunk, Norah Roberts, Belle Kongshaug, Avery Bartels and Jeri Lafleche. Emma Fitzmorris will also compete as an independent.
Bison at the Diane Thomason Invitational
The Bison return to the tournament field for the third consecutive season, finishing in 5th in 2024 and in 7th in 2025. In last season's tournament, Madi Hicks finished at the top of the board for the Bison, landing in 16th place at +12 overall. Norah Roberts and Hannah Dunk finished in 36th and 43rd place, respectively.
Last Time Out
NDSU wrapped up the Yellowstone Intercollegiate in third place, the second straight season where they placed in the top five at that tournament. Hannah Dunk earned the sixth top 10 finish of her career and her second top 10 finish of the season with a +5 overall finish. She compiled rounds of 76, 74 and 71, firing three birdies and six pars on the front nine in the final round. Norah Roberts and Belle Kongshaug both finished inside the top 20 as well, tying for 16th at +8 overall.
Back-To-Back
Fourth year golfer Hannah Dunk has opened the 2026-27 campaign with back-to-back top 10 finishes. After coming in a tie for seventh at the NDSU Fall Invitational, Dunk earned an eighth-place finish at the Yellowstone Intercollegiate with a final round 71. She's helped the Bison to consecutive top 3 finishes to open the schedule for the second time in the past three seasons.
Home Field Advantage
Oxbow native Avery Bartels grew up playing at Oxbow Country Club, and used that to her advantage to claim her first collegiate victory at the NDSU Fall Invitational last week. Bartels fired rounds of 73 and 74 on her way to the title, starting off round two with a birdie and an eagle before rounding out the day with three pars on the last three holes to secure the victory.
Familiar Foes
The Bison will return to six tournaments this season that they also participated in last year. In the fall portion of the schedule, the Bison once again host the NDSU Invitational, before heading to compete at the Yellowstone Intercollegiate, the Diane Thomason Invitational, and the Clash at Boulder Creek. In the spring, they'll return to the Bell Bank "Pay It Forward" Collegiate hosted by Minnesota and compete at the Bobcat Invitational in Goodyear, Arizona.
Looking Ahead
The Bison will take a week off before returning action at the MSU/Payne Stewart Memorial tournament in Springfield, Missouri on October 12-13.
Tournament Schedule
The Diane Thomason Invitational will be a 54-hole tournament, with the first 36 holes being played on Monday and the final 18 being played on Tuesday. Tee times on Monday will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a shotgun start, and tee times on Tuesday will begin at 8 a.m.
Follow the Action
Live stats will be available throughout the tournament and can be found on the NDSU women's golf schedule on gobison.com.
The Course
After being hosted at Finkbine Golf Course the last few seasons, this year's Diane Thomason Invitational will be hosted at Davenport Country Club in Pleasant Valley, Iowa. Just a few hundred yards from the banks of the Mississippi, the club was founded in 1924 and hired Henry Shapland Colt and Charles Hugh Alison to design the initial routing plan. The course utilizes the natural terrain and changes in elevation, bringing two beautiful creeks into play. The course's signature hole is the 426-yard par-4 16th, which has been awarded national recognition as an "All American Golf Hole" by Sports Illustrated. The hole is tucked back into the trees, with a tee shot that not only needs to avoid the numerous oaks but also carry the waters of Spencer Creek. After the initial drive, the hole opens up and provides an unobstructed view of the green, but the putting surface aggressively slopes off the green into the surrounding rough and bunker.
The Field
13 teams will compete at the Diane Thomason Invitational in Iowa. Alongside NDSU and hosts Iowa, the tournament field will include St. Thomas, Western Michigan, Northern Illinois, Omaha, Drake, Montana State, Northern Iowa, Missouri State, Bowling Green, South Dakota and Bradley.
Bison Competing
The Bison will take six golfers down to Iowa. The lineup will include Hannah Dunk, Norah Roberts, Belle Kongshaug, Avery Bartels and Jeri Lafleche. Emma Fitzmorris will also compete as an independent.
Bison at the Diane Thomason Invitational
The Bison return to the tournament field for the third consecutive season, finishing in 5th in 2024 and in 7th in 2025. In last season's tournament, Madi Hicks finished at the top of the board for the Bison, landing in 16th place at +12 overall. Norah Roberts and Hannah Dunk finished in 36th and 43rd place, respectively.
Last Time Out
NDSU wrapped up the Yellowstone Intercollegiate in third place, the second straight season where they placed in the top five at that tournament. Hannah Dunk earned the sixth top 10 finish of her career and her second top 10 finish of the season with a +5 overall finish. She compiled rounds of 76, 74 and 71, firing three birdies and six pars on the front nine in the final round. Norah Roberts and Belle Kongshaug both finished inside the top 20 as well, tying for 16th at +8 overall.
Back-To-Back
Fourth year golfer Hannah Dunk has opened the 2026-27 campaign with back-to-back top 10 finishes. After coming in a tie for seventh at the NDSU Fall Invitational, Dunk earned an eighth-place finish at the Yellowstone Intercollegiate with a final round 71. She's helped the Bison to consecutive top 3 finishes to open the schedule for the second time in the past three seasons.
Home Field Advantage
Oxbow native Avery Bartels grew up playing at Oxbow Country Club, and used that to her advantage to claim her first collegiate victory at the NDSU Fall Invitational last week. Bartels fired rounds of 73 and 74 on her way to the title, starting off round two with a birdie and an eagle before rounding out the day with three pars on the last three holes to secure the victory.
Familiar Foes
The Bison will return to six tournaments this season that they also participated in last year. In the fall portion of the schedule, the Bison once again host the NDSU Invitational, before heading to compete at the Yellowstone Intercollegiate, the Diane Thomason Invitational, and the Clash at Boulder Creek. In the spring, they'll return to the Bell Bank "Pay It Forward" Collegiate hosted by Minnesota and compete at the Bobcat Invitational in Goodyear, Arizona.
Looking Ahead
The Bison will take a week off before returning action at the MSU/Payne Stewart Memorial tournament in Springfield, Missouri on October 12-13.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
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