GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College women's golf team will open the 2015-2016 campaign next week when the Pioneers host the 10th annual Tusculum Fall Classic at Link Hills Country Club. The opening round will be played on Monday followed by Tuesday's final round.

TC head coach Bob Dibble returns seven letter-winners from last year's squad, led by 2015 South Atlantic Conference Freshman of the Year Ciara Rattana.

Rattana, a sophomore from Western Springs, Illinois, recorded seven top-20 performances last season including three times in the top-10 to go along with her team-best 78.53 stroke average, which was the sixth lowest in school history and the second-best by a Pioneer freshman. The All-South Atlantic Conference first team honoree shot in the 70s in 10 of her 19 rounds last season, including a runner-up finish at the inaugural Pioneer Classic.

Taylor Lambertsen, a junior from Palos Park, Illinois, finished third on the team last year with an 83.16 stroke average. She recorded three top-15 finishes, including a 13th place showing at the Agnes McAmis Memorial last spring.

Senior Calley Lawson enters her final collegiate campaign with the 15th lowest career scoring average in school history at 86.73. The Gaithersburg, Maryland product finished fourth on the squad with an 86.21 scoring average and posted a season-best eighth-place showing at the Pioneer Classic. She was also the 2015 recipient of the Bob Dibble Spirit of the Game Award, which recognizes the SAC women's golf team member that demonstrates a genuine love of the game, outstanding character and places team before self. She also excelled off the course where she was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® third team.

Kelly Horrell, a senior from Las Vegas, Nevada, finished last year with a 90.32 stroke average, including a 15th place finish at the Pioneer Classic and shot a final round 77 at the 2014 Tusculum Fall Classic.

Junior Lindsay Butler returns after playing in eight events last season and posted a 90.57 stroke average. Also back are sophomores Blythe Scrivner (Powell, Tenn.) and Sayre Hopper (Bessemer City, N.C.).

Five newcomers will be making their collegiate debuts next week at the Tusculum Fall Classic including freshmen Kelsey Haun, Trista Holder, Cydney Murrell, Katie Tomassoni and Taylor White.

Haun, a Dandridge, Tennessee product, garnered district medalist honors while playing at Jefferson County High School. Holder and Murrell are both natives Maryville, Tennessee and played their prep golf at Heritage High School.

White, native of Kingsport, Tennessee, earned regional medalist honors on two occasions and finished fourth at the TSSAA State championship at Sullivan South High School. Tomassoni, a product of Mason, Ohio, played her prep career at William Mason High School.

SCHEDULE

The Pioneers will play in 10 events culminating with the 2015 South Atlantic Conference Championship in the spring.

The Pioneers will open its 18th season of women's golf, next Monday and Tuesday at the Tusculum Fall Classic. TC finished fifth at last year's Fall Classic, an event the Pioneers have won two times (2006, 2012).

Tusculum heads to the coast for the Myrtle Beach Intercollegiate (Oct. 5-6), hosted by Lenoir-Rhyne University at the Ocean Ridge Plantation in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Tusculum finished 12th at last year's Myrtle Beach Intercollegiate posting a two-day score of 629, including a final round 307.

The Patsy Rendleman Invitational (Oct. 14-15) is next for the Pioneers, which is hosted by Catawba College at the Country Club of Salisbury. TC finished eighth at last year's Rendleman with a score 36-hole total 644.

Tusculum travels to St. Augustine, Florida for the Flagler Fall Slam, hosted by Flagler College at Marsh Creek Country Club. The Pioneers carded back-to-back rounds of 329 for 658 to finish 10th at last season's Fall Slam.

TC will wrap up its fall schedule Oct. 31-Nov. 1 with the second annual Pioneer Classic at Nolichucky Golf Club in Greeneville. Tusculum won last year's inaugural event as Rattana captured individual runner-up honors.

The 14th annual Tusculum/Kiawah Island Intercollegiate (Feb. 6-7) opens the spring portion of the 2015-2016 slate. This year's tournament field will once again bring some of the finest teams in NCAA Division II to the Cougar Point Golf Club in Kiawah Island, South Carolina.

The Pioneers remain in the Palmetto State for the Converse College Spring Invitational on Feb. 22-23 at the Carolina Country Club in Spartanburg. TC tied for seventh place at the rain-abbreviated tournament with 331.

On Mar. 21-22, Tusculum heads to Charlotte, North Carolina and the Wingate Intercollegiate Challenge, hosted by Wingate University. The Pioneers finished 14th at last year's event.

The annual Tusculum/Lincoln Memorial Match Play event is slated for Mar. 26. The event is a unique one as the combined TC women's and men's programs take on their LMU counterparts in a match play event held at Holston Hills Country Club in Knoxville.

The 19th annual Agnes McAmis Memorial (Apr. 4-5) concludes the regular season portion of the Tusculum schedule. The Pioneers have won their home spring tournament five times, including back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013. TC finished 10th at last year's McAmis Memorial with consecutive rounds of 331 for a two-day score of 662.

The South Atlantic Conference Championship will be conducted Apr. 10-12 at the Monroe (N.C.) Country Club and hosted by Wingate. Tusculum captured the SAC Championship in 2000 and 2001.
The NCAA II Super Regional will be held May 3-5 in Pace, Florida and hosted by the University of West Florida. Tusculum's lone NCAA Regional appearance came in 2013 and was held at Stonebrook Golf Club, the site of this year's Super Regional.

The NCAA Division II National Championship will be held May 16-20 in conjunction with the NCAA Spring Sports Festival in Denver, Colorado.

- TC -