Southern Illinoise University Athletics
SIU Women's Golf to Host Third Annual Saluki Invitational
04/13/2001 | 12:00:00 | Women's Golf
March 24, 2001
The Southern Illinois University Carbondale women's golf team hosts the Seventh Annual Saluki Invitational Sunday and Monday at Hickory Ridge Golf Course with six of the top 50 women?s golf teams in the nation competing.
Besides the Salukis, two other local teams will be participating, the Rend Lake College Lady Warriors and the Murray State Lady Racers. Also on hand will be Missouri Valley Conference opponents Bradley, Creighton, Evansville, Illinois State, Northern Iowa and Southwest Missouri State. In addition, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Ferris State, the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Ohio University will round out the 14-team field.
This popular event has attracted some of the top teams in the nation in past years and this year will not be an exception with Bradley ranked 26th, SIU 29th, Ohio 33rd, Northern Iowa 39th, SMS 43rd and Illinois State 47th.
The starting time for the shotgun start on Sunday has been pushed back an hour to 10 a.m. because of the danger of frost over the weekend. The starting time on Monday is still tentatively set for 9 a.m.
"This is a very good field," said SIU women's coach Diane Daugherty. "It is good to see our conference opponents participate and Ohio University is a new addition this year. Bradley and our team are right there in the NCAA rankings with Ohio University near by so they will add to the competitive nature of this field. Murray State has been here every year and they are good, so I think it will come down to the very last putt. There is probably a one-stroke difference between most of the schools here when you average it all up. So you are not talking about much leeway between winning and losing. This is our Dawg House and we don't want anyone to come in here to win this but us. Hickory Ridge is one of the toughest courses to play and that will make this tournament a good challenge."
Wisconsin won the title last season with SIU taking the crown in 1999. Other former winners are Missouri (1998 and 1997), Michigan (1996) and Michigan State (1995). Junior Alison Hiller holds the top 36-hole score with a 149 in 1999.
"My team is ready," Daugherty said. "My top three are very solid with Jennifer Shutt coming off a big performance in Florida, Alison steady as a rock and our senior Lizzie Uthoff wanting to go out in her last Saluki Invitational on a high note. We, of course, have to get our No. 4, 5 and 6 in there to help us out, but I have great depth this season."
Rounding out the Saluki squad will be Andrea Turner, Ashley Welch, Amy Rankin, Kendra Hood and Megan Tarrolly.
