April 15, 2006

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GREENVILLE, N.C. - Nine women's golf teams are set to tee off Sunday morning as the 2006 Conference USA Women's Golf Championship, hosted by East Carolina University, gets underway at Ironwood Country Club in Greenville, N.C. The championship consists of 54 holes on the par 72, 6,221-yard white course over three days. The winner of the championship receives an automatic berth to the NCAA Regionals.

Marshall, Memphis and UCF tee off first at 8 a.m. Memphis is a two-time C-USA champion (1997, 2001) and will be led by junior Stacey Tate, who has won medalist honors in her last two outings (four for her career) and currently holds the lowest stroke average in the conference. Marshall and UCF are competing in their first C-USA championship. Marshall head coach Meredith Knight will play a veteran team of one senior, three juniors and one sophomore in the Thundering Herd's C-USA debut. UCF senior Ashley Grier is coming off a runner-up finish at the Ryder Florida Women's Collegiate Championship for her third top five finish of the spring. The Golden Knights are under the direction of first-year coach Emilee Klein.

SMU, Tulsa and UAB hit the links at 8:45 a.m. UAB is participating in its 11th Conference USA championship. SMU and Tulsa are also making their C-USA debut, but are no strangers to one another after competing against one another in the Western Athletic Conference. Tulsa and head coach Holley Hair won the 2005 WAC title and both TU and the Mustangs earned a trip to the NCAA Central Regional last season. SMU head coach Todd Sellers has his Mustangs ranked 24th nationally this season by Golfstat. UAB will play a pair of freshman when the Blazers take the course Sunday, including standout rookie Christina Wentworth and senior Janey Deimling, a 2005 All-Conference USA Third Team selection.

Host ECU, Southern Miss and UTEP play in the third and final wave, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The Pirates are under the direction of first-year coach Kim Lewellen and have been led by freshman Lene Krog, who ranks in the Top 50 nationally. Senior Heidi Hellieson, who tied for 11th at the 2005 C-USA Championship, and sophomore teammate Emelie Lind, who placed 20th in 2005, will also steer the Pirates this season. Southern Miss will be looking to improve its sixth place finish last year, while UTEP senior Amy Young will lead the Miners in their first C-USA tournament.

Tulane University, the two-time defending champion, did not field a team this spring due to Hurricane Katrina so a new champion will be crowned for 2006. Tulane and East Carolina both earned a berth to the 2005 NCAA East Regional.