KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. --- The Tusculum College women's golf team will open the spring portion of its 2012-2013 schedule this weekend when they host the 11th 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 11th year, the Tusculum/Kiawah Island Intercollegiate has evolved into one of the premier NCAA Division II women's golf tournaments in the nation. The 18-team tournament field includes 14 colleges and universities that are currently ranked in the top 50 in the latest Golfstat Head-to-Head Standings.

Host Tusculum, who is listed No. 30 in the latest Golfstat DII rankings, recorded a solid fall campaign. The Pioneers finished third or better in their final four fall events, including a team title at the Tusculum Fall Classic. TC finished runner-up at the Patsy Rendleman Invitational and third place showings at the Myrtle Beach Intercollegiate and the Flagler Fall Slam.

The No. 3 team in the country, Lynn University, returns as the defending Kiawah Island Intercollegiate champion. The Fighting Knights shattered the tournament record books a year ago as they posted a 36-hole record 582, including an Intercollegiate-best 285 in the final round. Lynn won this year's season-opening NCAA DII Fall Preview Tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla. by a dozen strokes.

No. 5 Barry University is making its fifth appearances at Kiawah after finishing in the top five in all four of its fall events, including a team title at the Flagler Fall Slam and runner-up honors at the NCAA DII Fall Preview.

Florida Southern returns to Kiawah for a seventh straight year. The Moccasins have won this event in three of the last five years (2008, 2009 & 2011) and are currently ranked sixth in the nation (Golfstat DII standings).

Defending South Atlantic Conference champion Newberry will be making their fourth appearance at the Kiawah Intercollegiate, but first since 2009. The ninth-ranked Wolves captured fall wins at the Smoky Mountain Intercollegiate and the Patsy Rendleman Invitational.

Other nationally-ranked DII programs competing this weekend include: No. 16 Lincoln Memorial, No. 17 UNC Pembroke, No. 20 West Florida, No. 22 Southwestern Oklahoma State, No. 23 Armstrong, No. 26 Lander, No. 36 Columbus State and No. 45 Wingate.

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 second in the latest Golfstat NAIA standings. The Bees won the Lady Bearcat Invitational and finished runner-up at the Oklahoma City University Stars Classic.

West Florida won this event in 2005 led by Clara Fornella, the only two-time medalist in tournament history. Two players expected to participate in this year's event will be vying for their second Kiawah Intercollegiate title, including Armstrong's Kristen Sammarco (2012) and Meghan Moore (2011) of UNC Pembroke.

Also competing in this year's tournament are Barton, Belmont Abbey, Coker and West Georgia.

Leading the charge for the Pioneers is sophomore Emee Herbert. Herbert , a native of Johns Creek, Ga., has a 73.5 scoring average, which is sixth-best in the nation, to go along with her three top-5 finishes, including runner-up performances at the Tusculum Fall Classic and Patsy Rendleman Invitational. The 2012 South Atlantic Conference Freshman of the Year also finished third at the Flagler Fall Slam.

Senior Jillian Corum enters her final spring campaign with the Pioneers. She recorded three top five performances in the fall, including a win at the Myrtle Beach Intercollegiate, her TC-best fifth individual title. The Knoxville, Tenn. native has a 76.7 stroke average this year and finished sixth at last year's Kiawah Intercollegiate.

Junior Sara Howard (Knoxville, Tenn.) is third on the team with her 76.7 average to go along with her team-best four top 20 performances in the fall. Howard finished third at the Myrtle Beach Intercollegiate and fifth at the Tusculum Fall Classic.

Sophomore Alec Cunningham (Knoxville, Tenn.) is fourth with her 80.7 stroke average and two top-25 finishes, including seventh at the Rendleman Invitational. The freshman-duo of Calley Lawson (Gaithersburg, Md.) and Kelly Horrell (Las Vegas, Nev.) round out the 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 10 colleges and universities in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.

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