DANIEL ISLAND, S.C. – The NC State women's golf team earned a runner-up finish at the Daniel Island Invitational with a 6-over 870 (297-287-286). The 6-over par and second place showing both mark season bests. Marie Eline Madsen picked up her fourth career win with a 7-under 209 (70-71-68). She now has two wins on the season and the four in her career is now a school record.

Madsen finished under par in each round, highlighted by a clean card on Tuesday with a 4-under 68 behind four birdies and 14 pars. She now has 15 rounds at par or under and seven rounds in the 60s this season. Madsen logged the best par 4s average (3.87), par 5s average (4.58), as well as the most birdies (15) in the field.

Vania Simont followed with a tie for 11th with an even-par 216 (76-66-74). Her showing was highlighted by a career-low 6-under 66 in the second round with seven birdies, 10 pars and one bogey. Simont now has fourth top 20 showings on the season. The 66 is the third lowest round by an NC State player in school history. Simont had the best par 3s average in the field (2.75)

Ellie Hildreth picked up her second career 20th place showing with a tie for 18th behind a 4-over 220 (75-75-70). Her 70 in the third round marked the third at par or under this year, finishing with four birdies, 12 pars and two bogeys in Tuesday's round.

Lindsay McGrath carded a 9-over 225 (76-75-74) to tie for 34th. Lea Ludwig followed with a 17-over 233 (79-78-74) to tie for 66th. She had the fifth best par 5s average in the field (4.67). Leena Stephens played as an individual, her first showing of the season, finishing with a 20-over 236 (82-78-76).

NC State finished with the most birdies (42) and second best par 5s average (4.87).

Individual Scores 1 - Marie Eline Madsen: 70-71-68=209 (-7) T11 - Vania Simont: 76-66-74=216 (E) T18 - Ellie Hildreth: 75-75-70=220 (+4) T34 - Lindsay McGrath: 76-75-74 (+2) T66 - Lea Ludwig: 79-78-76=233 (+17) 72 - Leena Stephens*: 82-78-76=236 (+20) * - played as an individual

Team Scores 1 - High Point: 294-286-284=864 (E) 2 - No. 46 NC State: 297-287-286=870 (+6) T3 - East Carolina: 291-298-287=876 (+12) T3 - Xavier: 292-291-293=876 (+12) 5 - Furman: 298-284-295=877 (+13) 6 - Oral Roberts: 298-292-290=880 (+16) T7 - College of Charleston: 302-288-299=889 (+25) T7 - James Madison: 295-299-295=889 (+25) 9 - Charleston Southern: 298-301-296=895 (+31) T10 - Charlotte: 299-291-306=896 (+32) T10 - Delaware: 301-294-301=896 (+32) 12 - WKU: 308-295-296=899 (+35) 13 - Coastal Carolina: 292-297-311=900 (+36) 14 - Elon: 309-300-302=911 (+47) 15 - Georgetown: 312-310-309=931 (+67)

Upcoming NC State will play at the Briar's Creek Invitational at the Club at Briar's Creek from Monday, March 16 to Tuesday, March 17.

CINCINNATI - Xavier women's golf continues its spring season at the Daniel Island Invitational on March 2-3. The two-day tournament is being hosted by the College of Charleston at Daniel Island Club - Ralston Creek Course.

Round one begins at 8:45 a.m. on Monday morning.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION Name: Daniel Island Invitational Dates: March 2-3 Course: Daniel Island Club - Ralston Creek Course Location: Charleston, S.C. Course Par/Yardage: 72 / 6,166 Participating Teams (15): Charlotte, Delaware, Oral Roberts, Western Kentucky, Charleston Southern, College of Charleston, Elon, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, Xavier, Georgetown, N.C. State, James Madison, High Point, Furman Format: Two-day, 54-hole tournament Tee Times: Monday, March 2: 8:45 a.m. shotgun start; Tuesday, March 3: 9 a.m. shotgun start

LIVE SCORING: bit.ly/3OH552h

XAVIER LINEUP 1. Isabel Brozena 2. Madison Reemsnyder 3. Darrelyn Webster 4. Ashley Kirkland 5. Ivanna Flores

LAST TIME OUT

BIG EAST WEEKLY HONORS

Feb. 26 - Isabel Brozena - Golfer of the Week Oct. 23 - Madison Reemsnyder - BIG EAST Golfer of the Week Sept. 24 - Darrelyn Webster - BIG EAST Golfer of the Week

2025-26 SCHEDULE

FALL SCHEDULE Sept. 1-2 - Boilermaker Classic - West Lafayette, Ind. (Brick Boilermaker Golf Complex/Kampen Course) Sept. 19-21 - Lady Paladin Invitational - Greenville, S.C. (Furman University Golf Club) Oct. 3-5 - Ron Moore Intercollegiate - Denver, Colo. (University of Denver Golf Club at Highlands Ranch) Oct. 20-22 - The Ally - Starkville, Miss. (Mississippi State University Golf Couse)

SPRING SCHEDULE Feb. 20-22 - WMU Rio Verde Invitational - Rio Verde, Ariz. (Rio Verde Country Club) March 2-3 - Daniel Island Invitational - Charleston, S.C. (Daniel Island Club) March 14-15 - Valspar Augusta Invitational - Augusta, Ga. (Forest Hills Golf Course) April 5-7 - ECU Ironwood Invitational - Greenville, N.C. (Ironwood Golf and Country Club) April 17-18 - Therese Hession Buckeye Invitational - Columbus, Ohio (OSU Golf Club/Scarlet Course) April 25-27 - BIG EAST Championships - Okatie, S.C. (Callawassie Island)

ABOUT THE MUSKETEERS

XAVIER NCAA HISTORY

2025 NCAA COLUMBUS REGIONAL OSU Golf Club - Scarlet Course - May 5-7 Team Finish: 10 of 12 (893, +29) Top Individual: Isabel Brozena (tied for 18th; 220 [+4] )

2024 NCAA LAS VEGAS REGIONAL Spanish Trail Country Club - May 6-8 Team Finish: 12 of 12 (932, +68) Top Individual: Madison Reemsnyder (tied for 50th; 232 [+16] )

2023 NCAA WESTFIELD REGIONAL The Club at Chatham Hills Golf Course - May 8-10 Team Finish: T-7 of 12 (863, -1) Top Individual: Emma McMyler (tied for ninth; 211 [-5] )

2022 NCAA ANN ARBOR REGIONAL University of Michigan Golf Course - May 9-11 Team Finish: 10 of 12 (905, +23) Top Individual: Emma McMyler (tied for ninth; 216 [+3] )

2021 NCAA LOUISVILLE REGIONAL Simpsonville, Ky. - May 10-12 Team Finish: 17 of 18 (907, +43) Top Individual: Emma McMyler (tied for seventh; 215 [-1] )

2019 NCAA EAST LANSING REGIONAL East Lansing, Mich. - May 6-8 Team Finish: t-14 of 18 (911, +47) Top Individual: Mikayla Fitzpatrick (tied for sixth; 216 [E] )

2019 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS Fayetteville, Ark. - May 17-20 t-90. Mikayla Fitzpatrick - 78 (+5), 78 (+5), 82 (+9): 238 (+19)

UP NEXT

Ssssup, Daniel Island. For all of our readers with ophidiophobia (the fear of snakes), now might be a good time to slither on down to other sections of the newspaper.

If you’ve ever wandered through a swamp or even spotted a long, legless creature disappearing into the neighborhood, you might’ve wondered, “What species is this, and how dangerous are they?” Good news: in South Carolina, you’re far more likely to share a story about spotting a harmless snake than about being harmed by one. In fact, of the roughly 38 snake species slithering around the Palmetto State, only six are venomous. That leaves more than 30 nonvenomous neighbors doing important work in our ecosystems.

First, a quick shout‑out to the good guys. Nonvenomous snakes play pest patrol every day, gobbling up rodents, frogs, and bugs that otherwise might crash your picnic or nibble your veggies. Species like corn snakes, black racers, rat snakes, ringneck snakes, eastern indigo snakes, and water snakes are all harmless to humans. Many of these are vibrant and fascinating to observe, and most would rather flee than fight.

And now, the VIPs (Very Interesting Pit‑vipers): the venomous six. South Carolina’s venomous lineup includes:

Venomous snakes are fascinating and play an important role in balancing natural food webs, but they’re generally not out to get you. Most prefer to avoid humans and will give ample warning (think: rattles, retreating into brush, or simply sliding away) before anything else. Bites are rare, and fatalities even rarer. Still, it’s wise to give any snake the space it deserves.

One of the best tricks for telling venomous from nonvenomous isn’t just “don’t poke it.” Instead, look at patterns, head shape, pupil shape, habitat, and body build, and when in doubt, treat the mystery snake with respect and keep your distance.

For example, coral snakes have a unique banding pattern (you might’ve heard this rhyme: “Red touches yellow, kill a fellow; red touches black, friend of Jack”) that helps separate them from lookalikes like the scarlet kingsnake.

Appreciating these slithery residents for their pest‑control prowess and understanding when a snake means business can turn a “Yikes!” moment into a “Neat!” moment. And if you ever feel uncertain, remember what seasoned herpers always say: Look, don’t touch.

Many U.S. residents were either on the move last year or thinking about a move, and we know which states, counties and cities were the most popular destinations in 2025. Using online search data and accounting for population size, this U.S. News & World Report.

research revealed the top 50 state, county and city destinations in the U.S. by their move-in to move-out ratios.

Not surprisingly, South Carolina was a popular move destination, with its city of Conway topping the list of migration interest. Also, Horry County, where Conway is located, landed in the second spot in our county list of popular move locations.

Other sought-after state destinations ranged from some in the Northeast to the South and West, with less interest in Midwest states like Ohio and Indiana.

Most Sought-After States: Six of Top 10 in South

The appeal of South Carolina is easy to understand, with its mild weather and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean coastline, but some of the other states in the top 10 offer much more rugged conditions, including Idaho, Alaska, Maine and South Dakota. Besides the Palmetto State, other Southern states attracting considerable interest in 2025 included North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama and Arkansas, with Delaware rounding out the top 10 in migration interest (the U.S. Census Bureau includes Delaware in the South region, specifically the South Atlantic region, though many in the U.S. would consider it a Northeastern state).

The 50 states in our research are shown below. Washington, D.C., is included, with the only state excluded being Hawaii, which came in at No. 51.

1. South Carolina

2. Idaho

3. Alaska

4. North Carolina

5. Maine

6. Tennessee

7. Delaware

8. South Dakota

9. Alabama

10.Arkansas

Most Sought-After Counties

Here are the top 50 counties with the highest migration interest:

1. Brunswick County, North Carolina

2. Horry County, South Carolina

3. Washington County, Tennessee

4. Sumter County, Florida

5. Marion County, Florida

6. Ellis County, Texas

7. Catawba County, North Carolina

8. Greenville County, South Carolina

9. Dorchester County, South Carolina

10. Gaston County, North Carolina

Most Sought-After Cities

The top 50 U.S. cities generating relocation interest in 2025 included:

1. Conway, South Carolina

2. Johnson City, Tennessee

3. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

4. The Villages, Florida

5. Ocala, Florida

6. Bend, Oregon

7. Portland, Maine

8. New Braunfels, Texas

9. Bluffton, South Carolina

10. Apex, North Carolina

Provided by U.S. News & World Report.

Keep track of South Carolina's measles outbreak at the SC's Dept. of Health Department's daily updates.

While South Carolina continues to be at the epicenter of the largest measles outbreak in 25 years, Berkeley County is preparing for the potential impact on local schools.

As of Feb. 3, the state has 876 confirmed cases of the virus, primarily in the Upstate, which accounts for 80% of the cases in the United States this year.

With the number of cases rising, Charleston-area health officials are warning that unvaccinated communities – even in the Lowcountry – remain most at risk.

“Measles is one of the most contagious infections we know,” said Dr. Stephen Thacker, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at MUSC Children’s Health. “It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and the virus can linger in a room for hours, which makes it really easy for us to spread.”

The disease is far more serious than its signature rash suggests, as Thacker said, “It can cause high fever, pneumonia, brain swelling, and sometimes lead to hospitalization, and in rare cases, death."

WHO'S MOST AT RISK?

Infants, young children under age five, pregnant individuals, and people with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable.

Symptoms typically appear seven to 12 days after exposure and include cough, runny nose, red watery eyes, and fever, followed by a rash that spreads from the face to the body.

Families who suspect exposure should contact a health care provider immediately. Doctors may use isolation measures and could ask patients to remain at home until cleared.

Health officials said most of the cases involve unvaccinated or under-vaccinated individuals, often linked to travel or communities with lower vaccination rates.

According to Dr. Kent Stock, an epidemiologist with Roper St. Francis Healthcare, “If you don’t have a vaccination rate of 95% or higher, then you won’t be able to achieve herd immunity.”

Berkeley County’s vaccination rate currently hovers around 93%, leaving the area at a higher risk.

BERKELEY CO. SCHOOLS PREPARE

Schools are closely monitoring the situation.

While no confirmed cases have been reported in Berkeley County to date, the school district is urging parents to ensure their children are up to date on the MMR vaccine.

If a measles case is confirmed on campus, schools must immediately exclude the student, notify the Department of Health, and also exclude any students without a current MMR record.

Unvaccinated students can receive the vaccine within 72 hours to return to school.

In an email sent to parents, the Berkeley County School District stated that “maintaining high vaccination rates is essential to preventing outbreaks and protecting the broader community through herd immunity.”

HEALTH OFFICIALS: GET VACCINATED

Health care professionals said vaccinations remain the most effective protection.

“The most important step is really to make sure that children receive the MMR vaccine,” Thacker said. Children receive one dose around age one and a second dose between ages four and six.

For infants too young to be vaccinated, Thacker recommends a “cocooning” strategy, ensuring parents, siblings, and caregivers are fully immunized, avoiding large crowds, and, in certain situations, giving infants an early MMR dose.

Stock stressed the wider impact of an outbreak.

“Because of exposure, it’s a significant interruption to not only the public, but also businesses," he said. "So it’s in our interest economically to promote vaccination and mitigation techniques that will protect our citizens.”

With measles spreading rapidly in the Upstate, Berkeley County families are urged to check vaccination records and speak with health care providers.

Stock warned, “We all feel it’s just a matter of time before it ultimately reaches the Lowcountry."