Feb. 27, 2011

MOBILE, Ala. - The Samford University women's golf team will begin play in its opening tournament of the 2011 spring season Monday at 8:30 a.m. (CST) as the Bulldogs travel to Mobile, Ala., for the USA Lady Jaguar Invitational to be held Feb. 28-March 1 at the Azalea City Golf Club (par 72, 6,051 yards).

South Alabama will be the host school for the 2011 USA Lady Jaguar Invitational. This year's field will consists of 12 schools, including South Alabama, Louisiana-Monroe, Troy, Western Kentucky, Southern Miss, UAB, Alabama State, Centenary, Jackson State, Morehead State, Samford and Winthrop.

The competition is scheduled to begin Monday with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. (CST).

In last season's USA Lady Jaguar Invitational, Samford earned a fourth-place finish despite cold and blustery conditions at the Azalea City Golf Club. The Bulldogs carded a final-round score of 312 to rally for its fourth-place finish.

Heading into the final two rounds of competition, Samford was tied for sixth place in the standings with Lamar University. The Bulldogs concluded the 54-hole event with a final team score of 938 (315-311-312).

Samford was led individually by senior Sara Hunt who tallied a three-round mark of 233 (76-78-79). Hunt, a native of Columbia, Tenn., finished the 2010 USA Lady Jaguar Invitational tied for 13th place in the individual standings.

The Bulldogs' Katelyn Stanier earned a 16th-place finish with a 54-hole score of 234 (78-75-81). Her second-round mark of 75 was tied for the Bulldogs' best score of the three-day tournament. Stanier's 18-hole mark of 75 was tied with Anna Heim's 75 as the best round of the week.

Heim, Samford's highly-touted native of Lafayette, La., finished the tournament with a three-round total of 240 (85-80-75). Sarah Butts placed third on the team with a final score of 235 (80-78-77). She also improved in each round and earned an 18th-place finish in the individual standings.

The 2011 women's golf season will be Samford's third full campaign as a member of the Southern Conference. With stiff challenges and high expectations, Samford's women's golf team boasts a talented mix of veteran upperclassmen and highly touted youngsters who are eager to bring championship titles back to campus.

Head Coach Woodie Eubanks is in his fourth season as the head coach of the women's team. The former Bulldog golfer has a highly successful tenure at his alma mater. He has led his teams to their first conference championships, their first NCAA Championship appearance and their highest rankings in school history. Eubanks also led Samford to eight event championships and nine individual championships.

The Bulldogs' women's squad heads into the spring season boasting one of its youngest teams in recent history. Samford's 2011 roster includes only one upperclassman and five underclassmen. Butts enters the season as the Bulldogs' most experience player as the team also includes a pair of talented sophomores and a highly-touted trio of true freshmen.

Butts, Samford's junior native of Carrollton, Ga., is joined on this year's squad by sophomores Heim and Kayla Turner, as well as true freshmen Alex Jasper, Natalie Mitchell and Savannah Schubert. Despite the team's youthfulness, the Bulldogs' future looks bright under the tutelage of Eubanks and assistant coach Ryan Mayberry.

Last season, Samford finished the 2010 campaign as the fourth-place team at the prestigious SoCon Championships. The Bulldogs carded the best score of the event's final round of competition and turned in a total team mark of 298 at the Moss Creek Golf Club.

With its stellar performance, Samford improved a tournament-best three positions to finish the competition in fourth place. The Bulldogs entered the final round of play in seventh place and trailed 50th-ranked Furman by 11 strokes.

Butts once again helped lead Samford's resurgence by turning in a team-best even-par 72. Butts also led the Bulldogs in the second round of play and improved on her performance to finish tied for sixth place in the individual standings with a 54-hole score of 227.

Rounding out Samford's scores at the 2010 SoCon Championship were senior Heather Arnold (249) and Heim (262).

Heim, now a sophomore, will build upon her performances last year to be one of the key players on this season's squad. Fellow-sophomore Turner will also be looked upon to contribute for the Bulldogs. Samford will also need consistent play from its true freshmen to make waves in the spring season this year.

After opening its 2011 spring campaign at the USA Lady Jaguar Invite being held at the Azalea City Golf Course in Mobile, Ala., Samford will play host to its home competition being held at Limestone Springs Golf Club, the Samford Invitational, March 14-15.