--- The Tusculum College women's golf team will open the spring portion of its 2013-2014 schedule this weekend when it hosts the 12th 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 12th year, the Tusculum/Kiawah Island Intercollegiate has become one of the premier NCAA Division II women's golf tournaments in the nation. The 18-team tournament field includes 13 colleges and universities that are currently ranked or are receiving votes in the latest Golf World/Women's Golf Coaches Association's NCAA Division II Poll. Of this year's teams traveling to Kiawah, 13 are also in the top 50 in the latest Golfstat Head-to-Head Standings.

Barry is the No. 2 ranked team in the country according to the Golf World/WGCA Poll. The Buccaneers won two tournaments in the fall, including the FGCU Eagle Invitational and the Flagler Fall Slam. Barry is led by 2013 NCAA II National Champion Nancy Vergara as the Bucs are making their sixth appearance at the Kiawah Intercollegiate.

Florida Tech returns to the Kiawah Intercollegiate for the first time since 2006. The Panthers are ranked fourth in the country and finished third in all four of its fall events.

Florida Southern returns to Kiawah for an eighth consecutive year. The Lady Mocs have won this event in three of the last six years (2008, 2009 & 2011) and are currently ranked eighth in the country. Florida Southern finished fifth or better in three of its four fall tournaments.

West Florida won this event in 2005 led by Clara Fornella, the only two-time medalist in tournament history. The 11th-ranked Argonauts finished third in a pair of tournaments in the fall.

No. 17 Armstrong returns to Kiawah after posting a fourth-place showing at the Flagler Fall Slam. Pirate senior Kristen Sammarco was the 2012 Kiawah Island medalist as she won in a playoff.

UNC Pembroke had a solid fall as the 21st-ranked Lady Braves won the Tusculum Fall Classic at Link Hills Country Club and the Patsy Rendleman Invitational.

Along with Tusculum, South Atlantic Conference members Carson-Newman, Lincoln Memorial and Newberry are receiving votes in the latest Golf World/WGCA Division II Poll. SAC members Coker and Wingate are also competing this weekend in Kiawah.

The lone non-DII participant is the top-ranked team in this year's talented field as Savannah College of Art and Design is listed No. 1 in the NAIA Coaches Poll. The Bees finished runner-up at the Lady Bearcat Invitational, while placing third and fourth in their other fall events.

Also competing in this year's tournament are DII members Belmont Abbey, Columbus State and Montevallo.

Tusculum senior Sara Howard will lead the Pioneers to Kiawah after posting three top-20 finishes in the fall while posting a 78.2 scoring average. Howard tied for fourth place at the Rendleman Invitational and finished seventh at the Tusculum Fall Classic.

Freshman Taylor Lambertsen is second on the team with her 83.2 stroke average this fall, while junior Alec Cunningham is third with her 83.8 average, including a 14th place performance at the TC Fall Classic.

Sophomore Calley Lawson is fourth with her 86.5 average, while Alex Valeri (86.8), Kelly Horrell (86.9) and Lindsay Butler (93.2) round out the fall scoring for the Pioneers.

The final round of the Kiawah Intercollegiate 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 12 colleges and universities in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.