Central Michigan University Athletics
Tuesday, October 7
Portage, Mich. (Moors Golf Club)
9 a.m. (18 holes)
Central Michigan University
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WMU Bronco Fall Classic
CMU sophomore Ella Zanatta (righ) poses with Western Michigan coach Matt Zedrick after Zanatta finished tied for second on Tuesday in the WMU Bronco Fall Classic on The Moors in Portage.
Zanatta Rebounds With Solid 72 to Tie for 2nd at WMU Bronco Fall Classic
10/7/2025 6:03:00 PM | Women's Golf
It's the second consecutive top-10 finish for Chippewa sophomore; CMU finishes fourth
PORTAGE, Mich. – Central Michigan's Ella Zanatta shot an even-par 72 on Tuesday to finish tied for second place in the WMU Bronco Fall Classic at The Moors Golf Club.
Zanatta's 72 was the only par-or-better round among the field of 41 players in the field. She began the day in ninth place and moved up seven spots after shooting 77-76 on Monday in the first two rounds of the event.
The sophomore from Hamilton, Ont. finished with a 9-over 225 total, six shots behind medalist Kylee Heidemann of Dayton, who closed with a 1-over 73 for a 219 total.
Zanatta tied for second with Reese Kite of Loyola-Chicago and Western Michigan's Megha Vallabhaneni.
It was Zanatta's second consecutive top-10 finish after her tie for seventh a week ago at the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Classic. She posted three top-20 finishes in the Chippewas' four stroke-play events this fall.
The start of Tuesday's round was delayed nearly two hours by rain and Zanatta got off to a slow start, playing her first two holes in 3-over par. She rebounded with five birdies against two bogeys over her final 16 holes. She finished with a tournament-high 10 birdies in the event.
"It's not easy playing in those conditions and to start like that and bounce back, it takes a lot," CMU coach Ryan Williams said. "I think most of it is that mental fortitude, just being able to keep your confidence and not doubt yourself after a struggling start. That is the most impressive part of it.
"She made some good putts, and she just played steady golf. She just kind of rose above the rest of the field based on the conditions and how tough the course was playing today. Really mature, steady round of golf after a tough, tough start."
The Chippewas posted a 314 team score to finish in fourth place with a 54-hole, 931 total. They finished two shots behind third-place Loyola-Chicago (929) and five behind Dayton and host Western Michigan, which tied for first at 926.
CMU's Rachel Niskanen shot 81 on Tuesday to finish in 15th place at 236; Lauren Davis shot 82 to finish tied for 20th at 238; and two Chippewas, Alexis McMurray and Brooke Morris finished tied for 23rd at 240. Morris closed with a 79, McMurray with an 82.
The Chippewas' 314 tied for the third best round of the day, just two shots behind Green Bay (312).
"We hung in there today," Williams said. "It wasn't easy and you had to keep your cool and keep battling. I think there were some kids who really did that well today and that helped us claw back a little bit.
"We just couldn't get over the hump and didn't quite finish the way we needed to, but I think there were a lot of lessons learned out there. There's some good and some bad that we can learn from and grow from, and that's really what we're hoping to do."
Three Chippewas, Zoe Dull, Lexi Schulman and Evanka Shah, played in the tournament as individuals.
Dull shot 82 on Tuesday to finish 28th at 244, while Schulman and Shah both shot 86. Schulman finished 33rd at 252, while Shah finished 39th at 260.
The event was CMU's final stroke-play tournament of the fall schedule. The Chippewa women and men will host the Motor City Matchup, a co-ed match play tournament, Oct. 13-14 at Birmingham Country Club.
"It's been trying at times," Williams said of the fall season, "and we've been battling and hoping that we learn and we grow and continue to get better as a group and not lose confidence in ourselves. We'll take those lessons and apply them and keep getting better."
Zanatta's 72 was the only par-or-better round among the field of 41 players in the field. She began the day in ninth place and moved up seven spots after shooting 77-76 on Monday in the first two rounds of the event.
The sophomore from Hamilton, Ont. finished with a 9-over 225 total, six shots behind medalist Kylee Heidemann of Dayton, who closed with a 1-over 73 for a 219 total.
Zanatta tied for second with Reese Kite of Loyola-Chicago and Western Michigan's Megha Vallabhaneni.
It was Zanatta's second consecutive top-10 finish after her tie for seventh a week ago at the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Classic. She posted three top-20 finishes in the Chippewas' four stroke-play events this fall.
The start of Tuesday's round was delayed nearly two hours by rain and Zanatta got off to a slow start, playing her first two holes in 3-over par. She rebounded with five birdies against two bogeys over her final 16 holes. She finished with a tournament-high 10 birdies in the event.
"It's not easy playing in those conditions and to start like that and bounce back, it takes a lot," CMU coach Ryan Williams said. "I think most of it is that mental fortitude, just being able to keep your confidence and not doubt yourself after a struggling start. That is the most impressive part of it.
"She made some good putts, and she just played steady golf. She just kind of rose above the rest of the field based on the conditions and how tough the course was playing today. Really mature, steady round of golf after a tough, tough start."
The Chippewas posted a 314 team score to finish in fourth place with a 54-hole, 931 total. They finished two shots behind third-place Loyola-Chicago (929) and five behind Dayton and host Western Michigan, which tied for first at 926.
CMU's Rachel Niskanen shot 81 on Tuesday to finish in 15th place at 236; Lauren Davis shot 82 to finish tied for 20th at 238; and two Chippewas, Alexis McMurray and Brooke Morris finished tied for 23rd at 240. Morris closed with a 79, McMurray with an 82.
The Chippewas' 314 tied for the third best round of the day, just two shots behind Green Bay (312).
"We hung in there today," Williams said. "It wasn't easy and you had to keep your cool and keep battling. I think there were some kids who really did that well today and that helped us claw back a little bit.
"We just couldn't get over the hump and didn't quite finish the way we needed to, but I think there were a lot of lessons learned out there. There's some good and some bad that we can learn from and grow from, and that's really what we're hoping to do."
Three Chippewas, Zoe Dull, Lexi Schulman and Evanka Shah, played in the tournament as individuals.
Dull shot 82 on Tuesday to finish 28th at 244, while Schulman and Shah both shot 86. Schulman finished 33rd at 252, while Shah finished 39th at 260.
The event was CMU's final stroke-play tournament of the fall schedule. The Chippewa women and men will host the Motor City Matchup, a co-ed match play tournament, Oct. 13-14 at Birmingham Country Club.
"It's been trying at times," Williams said of the fall season, "and we've been battling and hoping that we learn and we grow and continue to get better as a group and not lose confidence in ourselves. We'll take those lessons and apply them and keep getting better."
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