Michigan State’s women opened the Folds of Honor Collegiate with a steady if unspectacular first round, carding an 8-over par 296 to sit tied for seventh place in the 12-team field at American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven.
The Spartans were paced by sophomore Sarisa Pojanalai and senior Keeley Marx, who each posted 1-over par 73s and are tied for 16th. Sophomore Lucia Valderrama is right behind them after a 2-over par 74, good for a tie for 26th, while senior Ana Sofia Murcia finished at 4-over par 76 and is tied for 33rd. Freshman Payton Haugen rounded out the MSU scoring with a 5-over par 77, placing her in a tie for 39th.
Kansas set the early pace in the event, finishing the opening round at 4-under par 284. Florida State and Texas A&M are tied for second at even-par 288, followed by Arizona and Duke in a tie for fourth at 4-over par 292. Ohio State sits sixth at 5-over par 293, with Michigan State tied with Kentucky at 8-over par 296.
The tournament has a broader purpose beyond the leaderboard. The Folds of Honor Collegiate was created by MSU men’s golf Head Coach Casey Lubahn and Lt.
Col. Dan Rooney, the former Kansas golfer who founded Folds of Honor.
It began five years ago as a men’s event and is now in its second year featuring a women’s field. Since 2007, Folds of Honor has awarded nearly 73,000 scholarships totaling more than $340 million to children of U.S. military members and first responders who were fallen or wounded in the line of duty.
This year’s competition brings together 22 colleges and universities across the 27-team combined field, including eight programs ranked in the preseason top 30, along with Service Academies, a Division II team on each side, and a men’s and women’s HBCU.
The event is being televised on The Golf Channel, with daily coverage from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and again from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., plus rebroadcasts. Last year’s Collegiate reached nearly one million viewers across 12 live and replay telecasts, making it one of the largest unique audiences for an NCAA golf tournament on Golf Channel in 2025.
In Other News...
Michigan State Found A New Edge Fans Noticed Against Toledo
Michigan State did not need a perfect offensive afternoon to handle Toledo, and that was a big part of the appeal in the 30-20 win. The Spartans leaned on special teams in a way fans could feel, with transfer kicker Liam Boyd stepping into his debut and immediately becoming a difference-maker. His five field goals gave the game a steadier rhythm and added points whenever drives stalled, while the rest of the kicking operation helped turn a close opener into a more controlled result.
Boyds impact stood out even more because it came with a personal best and a program mark in his first game, capped by a 51-yard kick that showed plenty of range. Michigan State also got useful work from other special teams pieces, and coach Pat Fitzgerald pointed to the groups aggressive mindset afterward. For a team still sorting out its identity, the Spartans found an edge in a phase of the game that does not always decide headlines, but can shape them just the same. [Read more 🡒]
Young Spartans Already Put Michigan State's Depth Chart On Notice
Michigan State used a lot of bodies in its Week 1 win over Toledo, and the group that stood out most may have been the younger one. The Spartans played 54 players in all, giving first- and second-year contributors a real chance to show where they fit as the season takes shape. That included Marvis Parrish at running back, Jayden Savoury at tight end, Bryson Williams at receiver, and a handful of young defenders such as Derrick Simmons, Cal Thrush, DiMari Malone and Jonathan Granby.
For a program still sorting out its rotation, that kind of early usage matters because it offers an immediate glimpse at who can handle more than just developmental reps. The snaps were spread around, but the depth chart never really feels settled in September, and Michigan State now has more film on several young Spartans who made themselves part of the conversation right away. What happens next with those roles will be worth watching as the competition inside the roster begins to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State May Have Found New Difference-Makers In Week 1
Michigan States 30-20 win over Toledo in its season opener offered more than a clean start in the standings. It also hinted at a few new names who could matter in bigger moments, with Rodney Bullard Jr. giving the passing game a real lift, Jayden Savoury adding steady production at tight end and Tre Bell flashing on the back end for a defense that had to answer some questions early in the year.
The deeper appeal for the Spartans was how many different players showed up around the ball. Kenny Soares Jr. made a major imprint from linebacker with an interception and pressure on the quarterback, while Eli Coenen chipped in three tackles and a sack from the interior. If Michigan State is going to keep building on a Week 1 win, this was the kind of spread-out impact that suggests the roster may have more usable pieces than it did a year ago. [Read more 🡒]