Hildreth secures first-career win at Briars Creek, leads Wolfpack women’s golf to fourth place

Daniel Susann, Assistant Sports Editor • Mar 20, 2026

Sophomore golfer Marie Eline Madsen waiting to putt at round round 2 of the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational at the UNC Finley Golf Course on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. Marie Madison was 3rd overall, and NC State came in 3rd at the invitation.

With the event shortened from 54 to 36 holes, freshman Ellie Hildreth took advantage of a phenomenal 4-under-par first round and closed out in the final 18 holes for her first collegiate victory.

In its second-to-last event of the regular season, NC State women’s golf placed fourth at the Briars Creek Invitational. Despite the winning efforts of Hildreth and solid performances from stud sophomore Marie Eline Madsen — who won the Pack’s last time out at Daniel Island — and senior Vania Simont, the bottom fell out and the Pack finished the tournament two strokes over par.

Hildreth finished at 6-under to claim the solo victory. Madsen finished at 1-under to finish 11th. Simont finished at even par for 16th. But the key No. 4 spot on the roster was nowhere near, as freshmen Betsy Sullivan and Lindsay McGrath finished 9-over and 11-over respectively, for 70th and 73rd.

The first-round 68 was the lowest of Hildreth’s career, but after the first day, she wasn’t even in the lead. She was down two strokes to Boston College’s Cynthia Zhang. But the Wilmington native stayed the course with a 2-under-par round on the second day, while Zhang faded with a 73.

Madsen, ranked No. 19 in the nation, claimed her seventh top-15 in eight events this season, and her 17th top-15 in her collegiate career. She has played in 20 events in her two years with the Pack. In John’s Island at the Briars Creek Initational, she gave a consistent performance with no blow-up holes, marking the card with five bogeys and six birdies through both rounds.

Simont was even keeled with two rounds of even par, shooting three bogeys and three birdies in each 18-hole round. She secured her fifth top-20 finish this season, and played her second-straight tournament at even par after doing the same in Daniel Island.

It was not necessarily a stacked field at the Briars Creek, but there was some solid competition. No. 12 UCF placed second, while No. 43 Michigan State placed third. No. 24 SMU placed 13th. Boston College came out on top with a mark of 11-under, 13 strokes ahead of the Wolfpack.

NC State will close the regular season with a home tournament, the City of Oaks Collegiate, at Lonnie Poole March 22-24, beginning Sunday.