AKRON, Ohio -- Following the first round of the 2026 MAC Championships, Western Michigan women's golf sits in a tie for fourth place.

The Broncos ended their first official round on Firestone West with a score of 290 (+10) after 18 holes of play. WMU was led on Sunday by senior Megha Vallabhaneni who was one of six individual players that shot under par. Vallabhaneni ended a stroke under par through 18 holes for a score of 69 to be tied for fifth place overall with Ball State's JJ Gregston. Bowling Green's Sammie Dolce and Kent State's Veronika Kedronová are tied for first with scores of 67 while the Flashes top the team leader board at 278 (-2).

Through the first round, Vallabhaneni was one of the day's top players at hitting par with 13 holes right on the mark. Fellow senior Jenna Hayes was right behind Vallabhaneni on the first day of competition, carding a 71 for 10th overall. Hayes tied a career-high on Sunday with four birdies, the most she's had in a single round as a Bronco and the second time this season. Sophomore Lauren Lupienk finished a stroke behind Hayes with a 72 (+2) for the first round at 14th individually.

The last score that counted for the Brown and Gold's first round total came from freshman Danielle Daniy. In her first career round of postseason action, Daniy carded a 78 (+8) to give Western Michigan its 290 (+10) total, tying with Ball State for fourth place. Junior Macy Beeson ended her first day of the MAC Championships with a round of 82 (+12), hitting par seven times.

The Broncos have been reseeded for Round 2 and will be in the first group to tee off on Monday morning. Playing with Ball State and Akron, WMU starts its second day of play with a 9 a.m. tee off from hole one. Beeson will be the first Brown and Gold player to tee off on Monday with Vallabhaneni being the last at 9:40 a.m.