Central Michigan University Athletics
Monday, March 23
Raleigh, NC (Lonnie Poole GC)
8 a.m. / 18 holes
Central Michigan University
at
City of Oaks Collegiate
CMU sophomore Ella Zanatta made six birdies and an eagle en route to a 4-under 68 on Monday at the City of Oaks Collegiate in Raleigh, N.C. Zanatta is tied for third in the 73-player field heading into Tuesday's final round.
Photo by: Mogie Adamchik
Zanatta Bolts Into Contention With Program-Record-Tying Round
3/23/2026 5:35:00 PM | Women's Golf
CMU sophomore posts blistering 4-under 68, enters final round tied for 3rd
RALEIGH, N.C. – An historic day led to a big move for Central Michigan's Ella Zanatta.
Zanatta made six birdies and an eagle en route to a 4-under par 68 on Monday during the second round of the City of Oaks Collegiate at Lonnie Poole Golf Course.
Zanatta tied for the lowest round in program history and she bolted 35 spots up the leaderboard and into a tie for third place with the final 18 holes of the 54-hole event scheduled for Tuesday.
"She played really well," CMU coach Ryan Williams said. "She hit a bunch of good shots and played steady and kind of capitalized when she got opportunities.
"She made a lot of putts today and got some momentum going, which is really good to see. She handled herself really well and kept her foot on the gas pedal down the stretch. It's not easy to keep making birdies when you get under par and you see low scores happening. It's hard to stay aggressive, it's hard to keep chasing, and she did that and that's the only way you can be if you want to shoot good, low rounds like that."
Zanatta led the Chippewas to a 303 team score. Coupled with their opening-round 308, the Chippewas are in ninth place in the 13-team field with a 611 total. They are one shot behind eighth-place Boston College and three behind seventh-place Georgetown.
CMU's Rachel Niskanen shot a 4-over 76 on Monday, while Zoe Dull posted a 78, Lexi Schulman shot 81, and Brooke Morris posted an 82.
Niskanen is among a group tied for 16th with a 150 total, while Dull (157) is tied for 49th, Schulman (158) is tied for 53rd, and Morris (164) is tied for 68th. The field comprises 73 players.
"I think we left some shots out there, but we sit in a position where we're surrounded by some pretty good teams," Williams said. "We're hanging in tough in a good field, and it's good to see that.
"We're putting solid rounds together, but you can tell the team wants more. They're motivated. They're looking at their rounds critically and doing everything they can to get better and to shoot better scores. I think it's a good thing when you're playing pretty well and yet not looking at it completely satisfied and not feeling like you did something too special.
"From my perspective, it's just good to see the team is improving. We're learning, we're growing, and we're getting better. And that's what you like to see throughout a season as a coach."
Zanatta, who hails from Hamilton, Ont., tied the program record held by Casilda Allendasalazar and Ashley Goh. Goh twice posted a 4-under 68, while Allendasalazar did it once.
Zanatta carded two birdies and two bogeys through six holes, and then holed out from a bunker for an eagle – one of two recorded by the field through two days of play – on the par 5 seventh.
She then nearly holed out for another eagle on the 395-yard par 4 ninth and settled for birdie to turn at 3-under 33. Her back nine included three birdies against two bogeys.
Zanatta opened with a 6-over 78 on Sunday and takes a 146 total into the final round. Her 4-under 68 eclipsed her career best by three shots.
"She was definitely disappointed (Sunday); I think she was a little frustrated," Williams said. "She typically does bounce back and I kind of saw that coming, and she did it with a really good round."
Zanatta, who is tied with two players for third, trails leader Marie Madsen of host North Carolina State by four shots. Madsen matched Zanatta with a second-round 68, and their 68s stand as the best rounds among the tournament field.
N.C. State, which is ranked 44th nationally, leads the tournament at 582.
Zanatta made six birdies and an eagle en route to a 4-under par 68 on Monday during the second round of the City of Oaks Collegiate at Lonnie Poole Golf Course.
Zanatta tied for the lowest round in program history and she bolted 35 spots up the leaderboard and into a tie for third place with the final 18 holes of the 54-hole event scheduled for Tuesday.
"She played really well," CMU coach Ryan Williams said. "She hit a bunch of good shots and played steady and kind of capitalized when she got opportunities.
"She made a lot of putts today and got some momentum going, which is really good to see. She handled herself really well and kept her foot on the gas pedal down the stretch. It's not easy to keep making birdies when you get under par and you see low scores happening. It's hard to stay aggressive, it's hard to keep chasing, and she did that and that's the only way you can be if you want to shoot good, low rounds like that."
Zanatta led the Chippewas to a 303 team score. Coupled with their opening-round 308, the Chippewas are in ninth place in the 13-team field with a 611 total. They are one shot behind eighth-place Boston College and three behind seventh-place Georgetown.
CMU's Rachel Niskanen shot a 4-over 76 on Monday, while Zoe Dull posted a 78, Lexi Schulman shot 81, and Brooke Morris posted an 82.
Niskanen is among a group tied for 16th with a 150 total, while Dull (157) is tied for 49th, Schulman (158) is tied for 53rd, and Morris (164) is tied for 68th. The field comprises 73 players.
"I think we left some shots out there, but we sit in a position where we're surrounded by some pretty good teams," Williams said. "We're hanging in tough in a good field, and it's good to see that.
"We're putting solid rounds together, but you can tell the team wants more. They're motivated. They're looking at their rounds critically and doing everything they can to get better and to shoot better scores. I think it's a good thing when you're playing pretty well and yet not looking at it completely satisfied and not feeling like you did something too special.
"From my perspective, it's just good to see the team is improving. We're learning, we're growing, and we're getting better. And that's what you like to see throughout a season as a coach."
Zanatta, who hails from Hamilton, Ont., tied the program record held by Casilda Allendasalazar and Ashley Goh. Goh twice posted a 4-under 68, while Allendasalazar did it once.
Zanatta carded two birdies and two bogeys through six holes, and then holed out from a bunker for an eagle – one of two recorded by the field through two days of play – on the par 5 seventh.
She then nearly holed out for another eagle on the 395-yard par 4 ninth and settled for birdie to turn at 3-under 33. Her back nine included three birdies against two bogeys.
Zanatta opened with a 6-over 78 on Sunday and takes a 146 total into the final round. Her 4-under 68 eclipsed her career best by three shots.
"She was definitely disappointed (Sunday); I think she was a little frustrated," Williams said. "She typically does bounce back and I kind of saw that coming, and she did it with a really good round."
Zanatta, who is tied with two players for third, trails leader Marie Madsen of host North Carolina State by four shots. Madsen matched Zanatta with a second-round 68, and their 68s stand as the best rounds among the tournament field.
N.C. State, which is ranked 44th nationally, leads the tournament at 582.
Players Mentioned
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