Tennessee capped a dominant week at the Florida Atlantic Paradise Invitational by walking away with both the team trophy and the individual title.
The No. 24 Lady Vols closed with a five-under 283 in Wednesday’s final round to finish at 10-under for the tournament, four shots clear of runner-up Kentucky. It was Tennessee’s second team win of the season — matching a benchmark the program hasn’t hit since 2018–19 — after October’s Mercedes-Benz Intercollegiate, which the Lady Vols hosted.
At the centre of it all was Kyra Van Kan, who delivered the first individual victory of her college career in emphatic fashion. The sophomore signed for a 3-under 69 to reach 10-under overall, a new personal best, and won by four shots in a 90-player field. Her total also tied the third-best 54-hole score in Tennessee history, matching Bailey Davis’ mark from the 2022 Mercedes-Benz Collegiate.
Van Kan’s week was defined by relentless scoring and few mistakes. She piled up 17 birdies — four more than anyone else — and made only four bogeys across 54 holes, also the best mark in the field.
Tennessee nearly made it a one-two. Freshman Madison Messimer finished runner-up at 6-under after a one-under 71 that featured four birdies on the back nine. It was her best 54-hole score of the season and her fourth top-10 finish in five collegiate starts.
Kentucky matched Tennessee’s depth at the top end, placing three players inside the top 10. Finland’s Anastasia Hekkonen finished tied third at five-under, while Karlie Campbell and junior Cathryn Brown shared T-7th at 2-under.
Clemson’s third-place finish at 3-under was built on steadiness across the week, keeping the Tigers in the mix as the only other team to stay under par alongside Tennessee and Kentucky.
For Tennessee, the closing push was sealed by Sophie Christopher, who rallied after early bogeys with birdies on 13 and 15 and an eagle on 18 — a fitting finish to a week the Lady Vols controlled from the front.