AFTON, Okla. – Northwest Missouri State University junior Clara Peake became the eighth different Bearcat in the history of the program to capture first-place honors as she gained medalist honors at the 2026 Spring Regional Preview held at Shangri La Country Club.
 
Peake fired a final round three-under par 69 to win the event by three shots. Peake was dialed in for her final round as she netted seven birdies. She began her round on the fourth hole and secured birdies at No. 5, No. 8, No. 9, No. 10, No. 14, No. 1 and No. 3. Peake shot a final round 69, which gave her a 54-hole total of 211 (-5).
 
Peake led the field with 17 birdies.
 
It is the 20th time a Bearcat golfer has finished first in an NCAA Div. II women's golf tournament. It is Peake's third career top-three finish and fifth top-10 finish.
 
NORTHWEST'S ALL-TIME LOW 18-HOLE INDIVIDUAL SCORES
1. 68, Paige Hoffman, NCAA Central Region - 2023
    68, Paige Hoffman, Midwest Intercollegiate - 2023
    68, Paige Hoffman, Grace Shin Regional Preview - 2024
4. 69, Gia Zupancic, MIAA Fall Preview - 2017
    69, Clara Peake, Spring Regional Preview - 2026
6. 70, Morgan Thiele, MIAA Championship - 2019
    70, Paige Hoffman, NSU Golf Classic - 2022
    70, Paige Hoffman, SWMSU Mustang invite - 2024
    70, Paige Hoffman, Grace Shin Regional Preview - 2024
    70, Lauren Briggs, Grace Shin Invitational - 2025
    70, Clara Peake, Spring Regional Preview - 2026
 
Overall, the Bearcat women tied for fourth in the 17-team field. Northwest shot a score of 297 on Tuesday for a 54-hole total of 894. The third-round score of 297 ranks tied for the sixth-best single-round score in program history.
 
NORTHWEST'S ALL-TIME LOW 18-HOLE TEAM SCORES
1. 290, 1st Round Grace Shin Regional Preview - 10/7/2024
2. 294, 2nd Round NCAA Central Regional - 5/5/2025
3. 295, 2nd Round, Midwest Intercollegiate - 10/17/2023
4. 296, 2nd Round SWMSU Mustang Invite - 9/29/2024
    296, 1st Round NCAA Central Regional - 5/5/2025
6. 297, 2nd Round Grace Shin Regional Preview - 10/8/2024
     297, 1st Round Grace Shin Invitational - 10/6/2025
     297, 1st Round Spring Regional Preview - 4/5/2026
     297, 3rd Round Spring Regional Preview - 4/7/2026
9. 298, 3rd Round, MIAA Championship - 04/24/2019
    298, 2nd Round Grace Shin Invitational - 10/7/2025
    298, 1st Round Midwest Classic - 10/13/2025
 
Northwest tied for the tournament lead in total birdies with 38.
 
Most Birdies Spring Regional Preview
1. Northwest Mo. St.   38
     Arkansas Tech       38
     SW Okla. St.          38
4. Central Oklahoma  36
5. Washburn               35
     Harding                 35
 
Lauren Briggs put together a solid round that included one birdie and 17 pars for a one-under 71. Briggs landed her lone birdie of the day on hole No. 16. Briggs posted a tournament-best 42 pars in the 90-player field.
 
Shaylee Ficken placed 23rd overall and landed birdies at No. 2, No. 4 and No. 16 in her final round.
 
Lexi Bartley made her mark on the tournament with a hole-in-one in the final round at the par-3 17th hole. Bartley also secured a birdie on the par-3 eighth hole.
 
The next event for the Bearcats is the 2026 MIAA Championships set for April 20-22 at Mules National Golf Club in Warrensburg, Mo.
 
NORTHWEST SCORES AT SPRING REGIONAL PREVIEW
1. Clara Peake            70-72-69—211 (-5)
T17. Lauren Briggs     77-76-71—224 (+8)
T19. Shaylee Ficken   72-76-77—225 (+9)
T43. Lexi Bartley        78-76-80—234 (+18)
T80. Carleigh Reoh    84-84-82—250 (+34)
 
FINAL TEAM SCORES AT SPRING REGIONAL PREVIEW
1. Arkansas Tech                    295-288-299—882 (+18)
2. Central Oklahoma              304-288-300—892 (+28)
     Southwestern Okla. St.     305-294-293—892 (+28)
4. Northwest Mo. St.              297-300-297—894 (+30)
     Rogers State                    304-294-296—894 (+30)
6. Washburn                          300-299-296—895 (+31)
7. Central Missouri                304-292-303—899 (+35)
8. Wayne State                     316-298-296—910 (+46)
9. Harding                            312-300-303—915 (+51)
10. Missouri Western           329-301-308—938 (+74)
11. Oklahoma Baptist          311-322-309—942 (+78)
12. Southern Nazarene       322-314-314—950 (+86)
       Northwestern Okla. St. 322-321-307—950 (+86)
14. Missouri Southern         321-317-313—951 (+87)
15. Southern Arkansas       313-324-315—952 (+88)
16. Arkansas-Monticello     326-330-317—973 (+109)
17. Fort Hays State            333-333-323—989 (+125)