Smooth Transition

2-time state high school champ Maddy Bante matches college-best showing as Notre Dame freshman places fifth following 8-birdie day

By Gary Baines 3-12-2025

In less than a year, Maddy Bante may have gone from Class 3A — the small-school classification for girls high school golf in Colorado — to NCAA Division I, but you’d never know it by how the St. Mary’s Academy graduate is performing as a college freshman. 

The two-time 3A state high school individual champion not only earned a spot on the roster at Notre Dame, but she’s made the Irish’s travel team for seven of the eight tournaments this season as a freshman.

And, taking it another level, Bante has recorded two top-5 individual finishes so far as a collegian. The latest of those came on Wednesday when she placed a college career-best-tying fifth out of 66 players at the Notre Dame-hosted Clover Cup in Litchfield Park, Ariz.

Bante, a runner-up in the CGA Women’s Stroke Play last year, made eight birdies in Wednesday’s final round and shot a 2-under 68 despite two double bogeys on par-3s. Overall, she posted scores of 68-70-68, ending up four strokes behind champion Melena Barrientos of Clemson. Bante shared the lead roughly midway through the final round.

Bante’s previous best individual showing in her freshman year was a fifth place at the Evie Odom Invitational in early October.

Also posting a top-10 finish at the Clover Cup was Colorado State’s Kara Kaneshiro, who tied for 10th place at 1 over par overall (68-75-68). It was her fourth top-10 showing of the season. CSU finished sixth out of 12 schools in the team standings.

For all the scores from the Clover Cup, CLICK HERE.