Rosemont, Ill. – Penn State senior Cara Basso has been named the Big Ten Women's Golfer of the Week following her performance last weekend at the Bettie Lou Evans Invitational as announced by the league office on Wednesday afternoon.
Basso registered her second runner-up finish of the fall after posting a new 54-hole career-low of 9-under, 207, finishing just two strokes off the lead. That 54-hole score is also the second-lowest in school history behind freshman Sarah Willis' 11-under, 205 finish at the Nittany Lion Invitational earlier this fall. The senior opened the tournament with an even-par, 72 on Friday before posting 68 (4-under) and 67 (5-under) during the weekend to shoot up the leader board.
Basso's final round 67 on Sunday tied her personal-best while setting a new 18-hole career-low marking just the fifth such round in Penn State history. She became the fourth player to hit that number and the third already this season joining fellow senior Lauren Waller and Willis who each carded 5-under rounds of 67 during the final round of the Nittany Lion Invitational in September. The Pennsylvania native's 36-hole total of 9-under, 135 during the weekend rounds is also a new 36-hole program record surpassing the 7-under, 137 that Katie Futcher registered during the 2002 Yale Invitational.
The senior helped the Nittany Lions to their third consecutive top-2 finish of the fall as they posted a 4-under score of 860 just two shots off the lead as Kentucky took the crown with a 6-under, 858 finish. Penn State's 54-hole total of 4-under is a new school record besting its previous mark of 2-under, 862 during the 2012 Nittany Lion Invitational.
The senior has played in all four events this fall earning three top-10 finishes while her 71.50 stroke average paces the team. Basso registered 15 birdies and a pair of eagles during her 54 holes at the Bettie Lou Evans Invitational.
Basso is the second Nittany Lion to be recognized already this fall following Willis' recognition on Sept. 26.