Sunday, February 22
Peoria, Ariz.
Kansas State University
vs
Westbrook Invitational
Wildcats Set for Westbrook Invitational
Feb 20, 2026 | Women's Golf
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Ranked No. 26 in the latest National Collegiate Golf Rankings, the Kansas State women's golf team returns to a familiar track this week as the Wildcats compete Sunday and Monday in the Westbrook Invitational, held at the par-72, 6,293-yard Westbrook Village Golf Club in Peoria, Arizona.
This is the 13th time that K-State will compete in this event, which includes a third-placing showing last year at 24-under par 840 to tie the school's 54-hole record with the Wildcats' performance in the 2024 edition of the event. Last season, K-State recorded a second-round score of 274 and a final-round total of 275, marks that are currently tied for second and fourth in program history, respectively. In 2017, Kansas State took home the Westbrook Invitational title at 3-under par 861.
"We are looking forward to returning to Westbrook," head coach Stew Burke said. "Kansas State has been coming to this tournament for a number of years, and we are well welcomed by the local community. We have had a good week of practice and favorable weather leading up to this event. I know the ladies are excited about the opportunity to compete again. We will go with the same lineup that fared well in Puerto Rico, and, fortunately, everybody traveling this week has seen the course and knows what to expect. It is an opportunity to go low, and it is a course that will really reward good driving and precision with the wedges."
K-State's lineup remains unchanged from its spring opener in which the Wildcats finished sixth out of 18 teams in the Puerto Rico Classic, as sophomores Nanami Nakashima and Kelsey Chen, senior Noa van Beek, junior Julia Ballester Barrio and freshman Keen Visavapattamawan will make the trip to Arizona.
A native of Dalian, China, Chen is coming off her first collegiate victory at the Puerto Rico Classic en route to Big 12 Women's Golfer of the Week honors. She erased a six-shot deficit entering the final round to tally a 54-hole total of 10-under par 206, which tied for the sixth-best three-round total in program history. Chen has placed in the top 10 in three of her six events this season, which includes a tie for eighth in the season-opening Sam Golden Invitational and a third-place showing in the Powercat Invitational to close out the fall.
Chen ranks second on the team with a 72.06 scoring average this season, only to be outdone by van Beek's 71.88 mark. A senior from Oene, Netherlands, van Beek has three top-10 finishes during her senior season, highlighted by a runner-up finish at the Powercat Invitational. This will be van Beeks' fourth time playing in the Westbrook Invitational, recording a 3-under par 213 each of the previous three years.
A product of Kani, Japan, Nakashima is third on the squad with a 72.35 scoring average with four top-20 finishes, including a victory in the Powercat Invitational. She also produced a career-low round of 66 and a career-low 54-hole score of 207 earlier this season in the Schooner Fall Classic.
Visavapattamawan will be making the seventh start of her freshman campaign, recording four top-20 finishes and putting together a 73.65 scoring average. Ballester Barrio is seeing action for a fourth time this season – including a second-straight event – and holds a 75.88 scoring average.
K-State will be joined at Westbrook Village by 14 other teams in No. 23 Arizona, Chattanooga, Colorado State, Georgia, Gonzaga, No. 37 Kansas, Minnesota, No. 35 Missouri, Nebraska, Penn State, Rutgers, UNLV, Washington State and host-school Wisconsin.
A 9:30 a.m. (CT) shotgun start begins play each day with the first two rounds contested on Sunday and the final round set for Monday. Live results can be followed on SCOREBOARD powered by Clippd.
This is the 13th time that K-State will compete in this event, which includes a third-placing showing last year at 24-under par 840 to tie the school's 54-hole record with the Wildcats' performance in the 2024 edition of the event. Last season, K-State recorded a second-round score of 274 and a final-round total of 275, marks that are currently tied for second and fourth in program history, respectively. In 2017, Kansas State took home the Westbrook Invitational title at 3-under par 861.
"We are looking forward to returning to Westbrook," head coach Stew Burke said. "Kansas State has been coming to this tournament for a number of years, and we are well welcomed by the local community. We have had a good week of practice and favorable weather leading up to this event. I know the ladies are excited about the opportunity to compete again. We will go with the same lineup that fared well in Puerto Rico, and, fortunately, everybody traveling this week has seen the course and knows what to expect. It is an opportunity to go low, and it is a course that will really reward good driving and precision with the wedges."
K-State's lineup remains unchanged from its spring opener in which the Wildcats finished sixth out of 18 teams in the Puerto Rico Classic, as sophomores Nanami Nakashima and Kelsey Chen, senior Noa van Beek, junior Julia Ballester Barrio and freshman Keen Visavapattamawan will make the trip to Arizona.
A native of Dalian, China, Chen is coming off her first collegiate victory at the Puerto Rico Classic en route to Big 12 Women's Golfer of the Week honors. She erased a six-shot deficit entering the final round to tally a 54-hole total of 10-under par 206, which tied for the sixth-best three-round total in program history. Chen has placed in the top 10 in three of her six events this season, which includes a tie for eighth in the season-opening Sam Golden Invitational and a third-place showing in the Powercat Invitational to close out the fall.
Chen ranks second on the team with a 72.06 scoring average this season, only to be outdone by van Beek's 71.88 mark. A senior from Oene, Netherlands, van Beek has three top-10 finishes during her senior season, highlighted by a runner-up finish at the Powercat Invitational. This will be van Beeks' fourth time playing in the Westbrook Invitational, recording a 3-under par 213 each of the previous three years.
A product of Kani, Japan, Nakashima is third on the squad with a 72.35 scoring average with four top-20 finishes, including a victory in the Powercat Invitational. She also produced a career-low round of 66 and a career-low 54-hole score of 207 earlier this season in the Schooner Fall Classic.
Visavapattamawan will be making the seventh start of her freshman campaign, recording four top-20 finishes and putting together a 73.65 scoring average. Ballester Barrio is seeing action for a fourth time this season – including a second-straight event – and holds a 75.88 scoring average.
K-State will be joined at Westbrook Village by 14 other teams in No. 23 Arizona, Chattanooga, Colorado State, Georgia, Gonzaga, No. 37 Kansas, Minnesota, No. 35 Missouri, Nebraska, Penn State, Rutgers, UNLV, Washington State and host-school Wisconsin.
A 9:30 a.m. (CT) shotgun start begins play each day with the first two rounds contested on Sunday and the final round set for Monday. Live results can be followed on SCOREBOARD powered by Clippd.
– k-statesports.com –
How to follow the Cats: For complete information on K-State Women's Golf, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
How to follow the Cats: For complete information on K-State Women's Golf, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
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