Bison to Compete in Battle at Vero and NKU Spring Fling in Florida

Wednesday, March 11

Vero Beach, Fla. (Grand Harbor Golf & Beach Club)

9 a.m.

Bucknell University

Battle at Vero

Photo by: Dustin Terry

Bison to Compete in Battle at Vero and NKU Spring Fling in Florida

3/10/2026 2:01:00 PM | Women's Golf

Setting The Scene
What: Battle at Vero
When: Wednesday, March 11
Where: Par-72, Grand Harbor & Beach Club | Vero Beach, Fla.
Match Play: Bucknell vs. Northern Kentucky
Live Scoring: Clippd

What: NKU Spring Fling
When: Friday-Sunday, March 13-15
Where: Par-72, Sandridge Golf Club | Vero Beach, Fla.
The Field: 11 teams (Bucknell, Detroit Mercy, Duquesne, Eastern Illinois, Holy Cross, Mercyhurst, Monmouth, Northern Kentucky, Purdue Fort Wayne, St. John's, Southern Indiana)
Live Scoring: Clippd

The Bison are down in Vero Beach all week for two competitions. The Bison start with match play against Northern Kentucky on Wednesday before competing in the three-day NKU Spring Fling Friday through Sunday.

The Bison will have five players in the lineup for the NKU Spring Fling: sophomore Sophia Bardunias, senior Paige Richter, freshman Joelle Johnson, junior Nicole Yun, and junior Katherine Vice. Junior Lila Smith will compete as an individual. Sophomore Katrina Von Behren and the six Bison will compete against Northern Kentucky in the Battle at Vero.

Last Time Out

Sophia Bardunias led the Bison to a third-place finish at El Campeon Collegiate as the Bison marked their fifth top-three team finish in tournaments in 2025-26. The Bison sat in fourth after the first 36 holes, but battled through cold and windy conditions to jump ahead of Navy for a top-three finish. The Bison also finished ahead of Lehigh.

Bardunias was 17-over par in a third-place finish in the individual field. Bardunias earned her second Patriot League Golfer of the Week honor this season. Her award marks the seventh honor this season for the Bison in six possible weeks of competition.

Paige Richter tied for 12th in the event with a 243. Joelle Johnson tied for 23rd, Nicole Yun tied for 28th, Lila Smith tied for 39th, and Katherine Vice tied for 42nd.

About the Bison

The 2025-26 season has already been historic after an incredible fall season. The Bison won three tournaments, set a 36- and 54-hole team record and had six Patriot League Golfers of the Week.

Richter and Johnson were named Golfer of the Week twice, and Vice and Bardunias won the award once.

Bucknell opened its fall season with back-to-back tournament wins for the first time in program history. The Bison dominated at home in the Bucknell Invitational, defeating the field of 17 teams by 33 strokes. Bucknell then won by two strokes at the Battle at the Creek in a field of 15 teams with an 899. The Bison capped off the fall slate with a win at the Red Flash Invitational.

Bucknell's three tournament wins were the most in program history for a single season, and the Bison accomplished that feat in just the fall season. Bucknell's six PL Golfers of the Week are the most in a single season for the Bison.

Vice and Johnson tied for first at the Bucknell Invitational, and Vice won the trophy in a playoff. Johnson came in second place at the Battle at the Creek. The Bison had six rounds that are in Bucknell's all-time top-10 for a single round. Individually, the Bison had 17 top-10 finishes in the fall.

Johnson led the team in the fall with a 74.1 average over the five events. She posted four top-10 finishes and shot one round under par.

Richter played in three events in the fall, making the top-10 of the individual field in each event. She was second on the team with a 74.9 average.

Bardunias had four top-10 finishes in the fall with a 75.2 average. Yun averaged a 75.7 with two top-10 finishes. Vice averaged a 76.4 in all five events. Smith averaged a 78.0 and von Behren averaged a 78.3.

The Bison recently installed a PuttView in the Bachman Golf Center for both the men's and women's team. The system allows the Bison to train with a realistic environment, especially in the cold winter months.