KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. --- The Tusculum College women's golf team will open the spring portion of its 2010-2011 schedule this weekend when they host the ninth annual Tusculum/Kiawah Island Intercollegiate. The first round of the 36-hole, two-day event, will begin Saturday morning at Cougar Point Golf Club in Kiawah Island, S.C.

Entering its ninth year, the Tusculum/Kiawah Island Intercollegiate has evolved into one of the premier NCAA Division II women's golf tournaments in the nation. The 17-team tournament field includes five colleges and universities that are currently nationally ranked in the National Golf Coaches Association's Division II Top 25.

The No. 2 team in the country, Florida Southern College, returns to Kiawah for a fifth straight year. The Moccasins won this tournament in 2008 and 2009 with the latter in record fashion with a Kiawah Intercollegiate best 292-294=586. FSC won two events in the fall, including the Grand Valley State Invitational and the Saint Leo Invitational. The Mocs also recorded a pair of runner-up finishes in their two other fall outings.

Belmont Abbey College is entering this tournament as one of the hottest teams in the country. The Crusaders won three of its four tournaments and are ranked No. 6 in the Golfstat DII Rankings. Belmont Abbey has won the Tusculum Fall Classic, Patsy Rendleman Invitational and Queens Invitational tournaments. The Crusaders are led by sophomore Melissa Siviter, the defending Kiawah Island Intercollegiate medalist.

Seventh-ranked Rollins College is back, led by 2009 Kiawah Island medalist Joanna Coe. Coe won the 2009 event with a tournament record 138 (-6), including an opening round 68. Coe was also the 2008 NCAA II individual national champion as she led the Tars to a fifth national title that season. The Tars won the Kiawah Island Intercollegiate in 2007.

Barry University makes its third Kiawah Intercollegiate appearance this weekend as the Buccaneers bring a No. 16 national ranking with them. Barry recorded a victory in the fall at the Flagler Invitational.

No. 15 UNC Pembroke enjoyed an outstanding fall campaign as the Lady Braves won the Falcon Cup, while also finishing runner-up in three other tournaments, including the TC Fall Classic and the Rendleman Invitational.

Savannah College of Art and Design is also nationally ranked, listed 11th in the NAIA national poll.

Five South Atlantic Conference teams will be participating in this weekend's tournament including Tusculum, Anderson University, Lenoir-Rhyne University, Lincoln Memorial University and Wingate University.

Also competing in this year's tournament are Armstrong Atlantic State University, Coker College, Columbus State University, Lynn University and Queens University of Charlotte.

Tusculum, who is listed No. 52 in the Golfstat DII rankings, recorded four top 10 finishes in the fall, including a win at the Anderson Invitational. Leading the Pioneers is sophomore Jillian Corum (Knoxville, Tenn.) who is posting a 79.5 scoring average. Corum captured medalist honors at the Anderson Invitational and finished in the top 20 in two events.

Rookie Sara Howard (Knoxville, Tenn.) is second on the team with her 80.3 stroke average, while finishing in the top 20 in three of her four events, including a seventh place showing at the TC Fall Classic and 10th at the Anderson Invitational.

Senior Emily Palenkas (Maryville, Tenn.) is third on the roster with her 81.5 fall stroke average. Palenkas finished in the top 20 on two occasions, including a third place effort at Anderson.

Senior Adriana Vizcarrondo (Anaco, Venezuela) has an 82.0 stroke average, which is fourth on the team, while sophomore Haley Rye (Cumberland City, Tenn.) is fifth with an 82.7 scoring average. Juniors Aly Pugh (Harrisburg, Pa.) and Katie Doane (Sevierville, Tenn.) are sixth and seventh, with scoring averages of 85.5 and 86.1, respectively.

The second round of the tournament will be held Sunday beginning at 8 a.m. on the par 72, 5,800-yard layout.

Tusculum College, located in Greeneville, Tenn., is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, USA and is a NCAA Division II member of the South Atlantic Conference which is comprised of 10 colleges and universities in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.

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