Wildcats Prepped for Big 12 Championship

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Checking in at No. 28 in the latest National Collegiate Golf Rankings, the Kansas State women's golf team is set to face its toughest competition yet this season as the Wildcats take part in the 2025 Big 12 Championship, Tuesday through Thursday, at the par-71, 6,249-yard Houston Oak Golf Club in Hockley, Texas.

The Big 12 is one of the toughest women's golf conferences in the nation as it boasts eight teams in the top 30 of the latest rankings, the second most in the nation (SEC – 10). Additionally, the conference has 25 players that rank in the top 150 of the individual rankings.

In addition to the 28th-ranked Wildcats, the other Big 12 teams that rank in the top 30 include No. 8 Arizona State, No. 15 TCU, No. 19 Arizona, No. 22 Kansas, No. 26 Houston, No. 29 Iowa State and No. 30 Oklahoma State. UCF and Baylor are not far behind at No. 31 and No. 37, respectively.

K-State produced its best finish ever at a conference championship last year – the first season under head coach Stew Burke – as the Wildcats placed third at Houston Oaks with a 54-hole score of 14-over par 866.

"We are really looking forward to this coming week," Burke said. "This will be a great test for the ladies as we begin postseason play. The Big 12 as a whole has had a great regular season, so this will be elite level competition. We have had good preparation at home, and the ladies are ready to play. Houston Oaks will provide an excellent test and prepare us as we look ahead to the NCAA Regional selections next week."

K-State's lineup for the Big 12 Championship will consist of seniors Carla Bernat and Sophie Bert, junior Noa van Beek, sophomore Alenka Navarro and freshman Nanami Nakashima. Sophomore Julia Ballester Barrio will serve as the Wildcats' alternate.

Bernat enters the conference championship fresh off her victory at the Augusta National Women's Amateur two weeks ago as she produced a 54-hole score of 12-under par 204 to earn a one-shot victory. Over her 29 rounds as a Wildcat this season, Bernat leads the team with a 70.00 scoring average, which is currently the top mark in school history.

A product of Castellon, Spain, Bernat tied for 17th during her first Big 12 Championship a year ago. She also holds a 70.47 scoring average over her two years as a Wildcat, which is the school record by nearly four shots per round.

Bert, a transfer from East Tennessee State, ranks second on the squad with a 73.00 scoring average this season and has posted six top-10 finishes, including a tie for second at the Westbrook Invitational in February.

A native of Oene, Netherlands, van Beek holds a 74.03 scoring average with three top-20 showings during her junior campaign, including an 11th-place tie the last time out at the Silicon Valley Showcase. She tied for 21st at last year's Big 12 Championship, a year after finishing in a tie for 42nd place to conclude her freshman campaign.

Navarro ranks third on the team with a 73.35 scoring average this season with three top-20 finishes, the latest being a tie for 18th at the Silicon Valley Showcase. Nakashima has averaged 73.59 strokes per round during her initial collegiate campaign, while Ballester Barrio's average sits at 75.27 entering the conference championship.

Kansas State begins first-round play of the 2025 Big 12 Championship on Tuesday with tee times off No. 10 beginning at 8:20 a.m., as the Wildcats are paired with Kansas and Houston. Second-round tee times on Wednesday and final-round pairings on Thursday will be based on results with play beginning at 8 a.m. both mornings.

Live results can be followed on SCOREBOARD powered by Clippd. Thursday's final round will air on ESPN+ beginning at 11:30 a.m.

– k-statesports.com –

How to follow the Cats: For complete information on K-State Women's Golf, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.

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Players Mentioned

Julia Ballester Barrio

Carla Bernat

Sophie Bert

Nanami Nakashima

Alenka Navarro

Noa van Beek

Kansas State University Athletics