PALM DESERT, Calif. -- LeTourneau women's golf played its opening round at the NCAA Division III Championships on Tuesday.

Making its first NCAA Championship appearance in program history, LeTourneau carded a 35-over, 323 in the opening round at the par-72 Firecliff course at the Desert Willow Golf Resort.

The YellowJackets sit 25th in the standings following Tuesday's round one.

Kinley Pessel led the team card, posting a 7-over, 79 in the opening round. Pessel, the SCAC Individual champion, knocked in a pair of birdies and finished strong with a 1-over score over her final seven holes.

Hannah Newell -- who was announced yesterday as the recipient of the NCAA Elite Scholar Award -- carded an 8-over, 80 on Tuesday.

Newell also finished her round strong, with a 3-over, 39 through her final nine holes of the day.

Following are Calli Hoesterey and Emerson Swanner, as Hoesterey shot a 9-over, 81, and Swanner a 11-over, 83. Swanner cupped LeTourneau's third birdie of the day on hole 17.

Rounding out the YellowJacket golfers is Elena Jurado, who posted a 13-over, 85 on Tuesday.

UP NEXT

LeTourneau will play the Mountain View course tomorrow, May 20, in need of a push to the top 18 to make the cut. Live coverage can be found here.

FOLLOW THE YELLOWJACKETS

Be sure to follow LeTourneau athletics all season long on letuathletics.com and social media at Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram for up-to-date scores, news, and other information.