Colorado State University Athletics
Monday, September 21
Fort Collins, CO / Ptarmigan CC
Colorado State
vs
Ben Connell Ram Classic
Trying to Find a Groove
9/22/2026 3:26:00 PM | Women's Golf
A few Rams exit invite with positives
After a rough start, and not exactly the tournament they wanted to have as the host team, finding a positive became the target.
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Put together a string of holes. Salvage a round. Regroup and reflect on the three rounds of the Ben Connell Ram Classic. Nobody at Colorado State did it better than Ella Slicker. The freshman played her final eight holes at par, finishing the round at 1-over, the tournament at 6-over.
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The round tied for best on the team the final day, her overall score sitting fourth among Rams. Only thing was she did it playing as an independent.
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Her scores may not have counted, but she knows they matter.
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"I think just playing good for yourself is what matters. It feels great," Slicker said. "There's a little touch-and-go there for a second, but it does feel great to par all the last holes. It just felt great the whole tournament to know that I could compete as an individual too. Being an individual isn't the best feeling sometimes, so being able to compete through that is nice."
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Her coaches would agree. It isn't easy, playing three rounds without any coaching, as Laura Cilek and her assistant Brad Breier are assisting the five scoring players. Slicker is one of three freshmen on the roster, but the other two have made the cut the first two tournaments.
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One thing Cilek has learned from the first years is they have guts.
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"I think our freshmen did great. They're grinders," she said. "They kept their head up and their body language and played 36-18 and didn't complain. I think that's awesome. I think for Ella to go out and play with no coaching for three rounds and just grind it out is great. So our three freshmen really showed up this week.
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"I think our leadership really needs to show up a lot more. I think that's a spot where we've got the freshmen working in the right direction and those players who've been through it and played here a bunch need to show up and play better."
Â
UNLV ran away with the team title, playing all three rounds under par and closing at 19-under, with Rebel Kuree Little the individual medalist with her 12-under.
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Only two teams were under par the final round, with Colorado State finishing eighth for the tournament at 13-over, 11-over the final day. On a course the team plays all the time, those weren't the numbers they were anticipating.
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"I think we need more disciplined golf. I think we did that (Monday) and you saw the difference in our scores," Cilek said. "That's nothing that (coaches) can control. It's on them. You've got to have that leadership at the top of the lineup starting with seniors."
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Officially, the Rams were led by Khemmanut Soralum and Kara Kaneshiro, both finishing even. Jacinda Lee was plus-4, Ebba Thalen 10-over and Jacey Kage 11-over.
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Lee had a run of six holes down the stretch she played at 2-under, the number dipping when she had a bogie on her final hole. Even still, it gave her something to feel good about with the season just underway.
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"I think I did a lot better job at staying mentally stable. I had issues with that in Wisconsin, so it's good to see progress being made," Lee said. "I had three solid rounds of golf. Being here brings my confidence up because I know I've played this course a lot. I was feeling aggressive at certain times. When my game was feeling good in the last seven holes, I was able to be a little more aggressive, which resulted in those birdies.
Â
"Something I've been working on is kind of smarter targets on the green, not necessarily going for each pin, having a different game plan for each hole, each pin placement. I think I did a really good job of that. For example, yesterday I hit 33 out of 36 greens. So just being able to have two putts and just hit it on the green always saves a few strokes."
Â
This being her first season and her first tournament, Slicker was looking to lean into the chance. The idea of qualifying rounds threw her a bit, and she didn't score well. It's something Cilek gets, understanding a freshman can often feel a new kind of pressure when they're in a new place and there are expectations.
Â
Slicker was looking to prove something when given the opportunity.
Â
"I think I just wanted to prove myself to the coaches, to my teammates, to make them understand that I can be here too, and because it is my first tournament," she said. "I think it's definitely a big adjustment. I mean, you're practicing a lot more, you're qualifying a lot more, so you're playing a lot more rounds, and I think tournament golf for me has always been something I'm good at. So being in the tournament, he nerves and everything make me play just a little better."
Â
Cilek took note. Slicker felt good, so mission accomplished.
Â
The next step is taking the confidence into qualifying rounds and cracking the lineup. That final run of holes has her feeling like herself again.
Â
"I feel like, in a way, I'm OK being here, and I can compete with people, and I can compete with my team, and I just didn't have that confidence before this tournament. I feel just through qualifying and everything, I've always been kind of in last or close to last, and I'm like, I know that I'm better than this," she said. "I know that I can score better. So being in this tournament, and in my first college tournament, achieving these scores really gave me a big boost of confidence for the next qualifying."
Â
Every golfer will feel the struggle at one time or another, In those moments, finding a positive to carry one through is always welcomed.
Â
Â
Put together a string of holes. Salvage a round. Regroup and reflect on the three rounds of the Ben Connell Ram Classic. Nobody at Colorado State did it better than Ella Slicker. The freshman played her final eight holes at par, finishing the round at 1-over, the tournament at 6-over.
Â
The round tied for best on the team the final day, her overall score sitting fourth among Rams. Only thing was she did it playing as an independent.
Â
Her scores may not have counted, but she knows they matter.
Â
"I think just playing good for yourself is what matters. It feels great," Slicker said. "There's a little touch-and-go there for a second, but it does feel great to par all the last holes. It just felt great the whole tournament to know that I could compete as an individual too. Being an individual isn't the best feeling sometimes, so being able to compete through that is nice."
Â
Her coaches would agree. It isn't easy, playing three rounds without any coaching, as Laura Cilek and her assistant Brad Breier are assisting the five scoring players. Slicker is one of three freshmen on the roster, but the other two have made the cut the first two tournaments.
Â
One thing Cilek has learned from the first years is they have guts.
Â
"I think our freshmen did great. They're grinders," she said. "They kept their head up and their body language and played 36-18 and didn't complain. I think that's awesome. I think for Ella to go out and play with no coaching for three rounds and just grind it out is great. So our three freshmen really showed up this week.
Â
"I think our leadership really needs to show up a lot more. I think that's a spot where we've got the freshmen working in the right direction and those players who've been through it and played here a bunch need to show up and play better."
Â
UNLV ran away with the team title, playing all three rounds under par and closing at 19-under, with Rebel Kuree Little the individual medalist with her 12-under.
Â
Only two teams were under par the final round, with Colorado State finishing eighth for the tournament at 13-over, 11-over the final day. On a course the team plays all the time, those weren't the numbers they were anticipating.
Â
"I think we need more disciplined golf. I think we did that (Monday) and you saw the difference in our scores," Cilek said. "That's nothing that (coaches) can control. It's on them. You've got to have that leadership at the top of the lineup starting with seniors."
Â
Officially, the Rams were led by Khemmanut Soralum and Kara Kaneshiro, both finishing even. Jacinda Lee was plus-4, Ebba Thalen 10-over and Jacey Kage 11-over.
Â
Lee had a run of six holes down the stretch she played at 2-under, the number dipping when she had a bogie on her final hole. Even still, it gave her something to feel good about with the season just underway.
Â
"I think I did a lot better job at staying mentally stable. I had issues with that in Wisconsin, so it's good to see progress being made," Lee said. "I had three solid rounds of golf. Being here brings my confidence up because I know I've played this course a lot. I was feeling aggressive at certain times. When my game was feeling good in the last seven holes, I was able to be a little more aggressive, which resulted in those birdies.
Â
"Something I've been working on is kind of smarter targets on the green, not necessarily going for each pin, having a different game plan for each hole, each pin placement. I think I did a really good job of that. For example, yesterday I hit 33 out of 36 greens. So just being able to have two putts and just hit it on the green always saves a few strokes."
Â
This being her first season and her first tournament, Slicker was looking to lean into the chance. The idea of qualifying rounds threw her a bit, and she didn't score well. It's something Cilek gets, understanding a freshman can often feel a new kind of pressure when they're in a new place and there are expectations.
Â
Slicker was looking to prove something when given the opportunity.
Â
"I think I just wanted to prove myself to the coaches, to my teammates, to make them understand that I can be here too, and because it is my first tournament," she said. "I think it's definitely a big adjustment. I mean, you're practicing a lot more, you're qualifying a lot more, so you're playing a lot more rounds, and I think tournament golf for me has always been something I'm good at. So being in the tournament, he nerves and everything make me play just a little better."
Â
Cilek took note. Slicker felt good, so mission accomplished.
Â
The next step is taking the confidence into qualifying rounds and cracking the lineup. That final run of holes has her feeling like herself again.
Â
"I feel like, in a way, I'm OK being here, and I can compete with people, and I can compete with my team, and I just didn't have that confidence before this tournament. I feel just through qualifying and everything, I've always been kind of in last or close to last, and I'm like, I know that I'm better than this," she said. "I know that I can score better. So being in this tournament, and in my first college tournament, achieving these scores really gave me a big boost of confidence for the next qualifying."
Â
Every golfer will feel the struggle at one time or another, In those moments, finding a positive to carry one through is always welcomed.
Â
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
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