MADISON, Wis. – Sophomore Jackson Bishop led Western Carolina to a tie for ninth place at the 2015 Badger Invitational, which concluded Tuesday afternoon at the par-72, 7,259-yard University Ridge Golf Course. It is WCU’s second consecutive top-10 finish to open the 2015-16 season, and the Catamounts ended play tied with Illinois State with a three-day score of 912.

Bishop matched the second-best 54-hole score of his career over the three-day event, finishing tied for 20th with a score of 8-over-par 224, carding his season-low round on Sunday and a 3-over 75 Tuesday.

Senior Taylor Durand finished tied for 48th overall with a three-day score of 231 (76-75-80), a stroke ahead of freshman teammate Alex Lee, who shot 232 (74-80-78) in his first collegiate event. Lee finished tied for 50th with one other competitor.

Rounding out WCU’s scoring five were freshmen Mark David Johnson in a tie for 54th (83-74-77=234) and Bradley Durand, who was likewise making his first start in college, placed in a five-way tie for 59th (78-82-76=236).

After charging into the runner-up spot on Monday, Kansas overtook two-round leader Miami (Ohio) to claim the team championship by eight strokes over the RedHawks. Kansas finished the tournament at 1-over-par 865, while Miami finished at 9-over 873.

Patrick Flavin of Miami carried a three-stroke lead into the final round and added an insurance stroke over the final 18 holes to claim individual medalist honors with a three-day score of 9-under-par 207.

Western Carolina returns to action in-state next week as it travels down I-40 to Raleigh, N.C., for the Wolfpack Intercollegiate. The 54-hole tournament hosted by NC State at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course will be spread over two days with 36 holes on Oct. 5 with the final round on Oct. 6. Only two current Catamounts – Bishop and sophomore Bright Julamool – played in last year’s event.