Feb. 19, 2006

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The Samford University women's golf team opens the 2006 spring season at the Ann Rhoads `Southern Shootout, hosted by Birmingham-Southern College on Feb. 20-21 at Bent Brook Golf Course in McCalla, Ala.

In-state rivals Jacksonville State and South Alabama highlight the field alongside host Birmingham-Southern. The rest of the field includes Berry, Gardner-Webb, Jackson State, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Murray State, Nicholls State, Saint Louis, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, Western Kentucky and Winthrop.

Samford was led in the fall by senior Kelly Stout and freshman Maria Troche's stead play. The two provided a strong one-two punch for the Bulldogs, as Troche finished in the top-30 in each of Samford's tournaments, and Stout showed continued improvement throughout the fall, highlighted by a 14th place finish at the Troy Women's Invitational, where she achieved a double-eagle, one of the rarest feats in golf.

The two-day, 36-hole event begins Monday morning at 9:30 a.m. with a shotgun start. The event is free and open to the public.