COACH LIA BIEHL LUKKARINEN THOUGHTS: "It's been long winter and we are really excited to get out and play. It's rare that we don't get out all all to play before spring break, but that's what mother nature brought us this year. The team has done a fantastic job of conditioning this winter, and we have hit and putted inside as much as possible.  I anticipate some great play, as well as some necessary short game tune-ups to start off. We are motivated and ready to finally compete this spring."

ABOUT THE COURSE: Our municipally owned and operated, 18 hole layout first opened its doors to the Jacksonville golf community in 1960. However, since that inaugural year we have had a number of updates and improvements.  Some of which include a re-design in 1987 by Robert Walker, as well as a complete greens renovation that took place in 2009.  In addition, two surface acres of lakes and numerous bulkheads were added to enhance the challenge and beauty of our course. It all adds up to a challenging and fun test of golf only 12 blocks from the ocean.

THE FIELD (11 teams): Butler, Evansville, IUPUI, Valparaiso, Central Connecticut, Western Illinois, Cleveland State, Alabama State, Savannah State, Newberry and Eastern Illinois.

PRESEASON POLL: Western Illinois finished fourth in The Summit League's preseason poll of league's head coaches with 31 points. The complete preseason poll can be found below.

2014 WOMEN'S GOLF PRESEASON POLL 

SPRING SCHEDULE: Western Illinois head women's golf coach Lia Biehl Lukkarinen announced her team's schedule Tuesday (Nov. 12), which features five tournament prior to The Summit League Championships from April 21-23 in Keller, Texas at the Sky Creek Ranch Golf Club. "I am pleased with the challenging spring tournament schedule coming up in March," said Biehl Lukkarinen. "It is highly concentrated, and we have three new events." The complete schedule release can be found HERE.

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