Lady Paladins Earn NCAA East Regional At-Large Bid

April 30, 2007

Greenville, S.C. - The Furman women's golf team will compete in the NCAA East Regional, May 10-12, at the University Club in Baton Rouge, La., it was announced today by the NCAA Division I Golf Committee.

The Lady Paladins are one of 21 teams that will vie for a top eight finish, which qualifies for a berth in the NCAA Championships, May 22-25, at the LPGA International Golf Course in Daytona Beach, Fla. Joining Furman in the East Regional are top-ranked Duke, sixth-ranked Auburn, ninth-ranked UCLA, Southern Conference champion Western Carolina and the College of Charleston.

"We are very excited to compete in this year's NCAA Regional and continue Furman's tradition of making postseason appearances," said second-year head coach Jen Hanna. "I felt like we had a better team this year than last, but we have not played up to our potential so far. We have played better in our last two outings and are thrilled to have the opportunity to play for a spot in the NCAA Championships."

The Lady Paladins are no strangers to the 6,403-yard, par 72 layout at the University Club. Furman placed 17th in the LSU/Cleveland Golf Classic on the same course March 16-18. Sophomore Blair Lamb (77-73-74=224) paced the Lady Paladins with a 21st place finish at eight over par.

Last season, the Lady Paladins placed 17th at the NCAA East Regional in Browns Summit, N.C. Furman placed third the 2005 NCAA East Regional in Gainesville, Fla., on its way to a 21st place showing at the NCAA Championships in Sunriver, Ore.

By competing in the 2007 NCAA East Regional, Furman continues its streak of never having missed the Division I women's golf postseason since the regional format began in 1993 (15 straight years). If the Lady Paladins advance to the National Championships, it will be the program's 16th appearance in the finals since 1983.