April 10, 2008
ST. LOUIS -
The Illinois State women's golf team, which has carded top-five finishes in two of its last three tournaments, was picked to win its third Missouri Valley Conference championship in the past five years, the conference office announced as part of a preseason poll Thursday. The Redbirds head to Omaha, Neb., and Oak Hills Country Club, Sunday-Tuesday (April 13-15), for the State Farm MVC Women's Golf Championship.
The Redbirds garnered six first-place votes for a total of 94 points; Missouri State was picked second with 86 points, including two first-place tallies; Southern Illinois (84) was tabbed third with two first-place votes; Bradley was picked fourth with 73 total points; UNI (52) was tabbed fifth; Evansville was picked sixth overall with 50 points; Indiana State garnered 42 points and was tabbed seventh; and Drake (35), Wichita State (21) and host Creighton (13) rounded out the voting.
"We are very honored to have been selected among our peers as the number-one seed," said first-year Illinois State head coach Darby Sligh. "We have worked extremely hard to get to this point, and we are thrilled to be in a position to contend for this prestigious title.
"I'm really looking forward to watching the girls play this week. They are so close on so many levels to having breakout performances across the board. If we are able to play the golf we are capable of playing, then we will be hard to beat."
The Redbirds have fared well against MVC foes this spring. At the Rio Verde Collegiate Invitational (March 7-9), ISU tied for ninth in the field, and topped Valley foes Missouri State, which finished 11th, along with Bradley and Southern Illinois, which tied for 15th. At the Saluki Invitational (March 30-31), the Redbirds finished second, behind host SIU, but were ahead of Bradley, Drake, Northern Iowa, Indiana State and Creighton.
In the Gainesville Shootout (March 13-15), ISU's only other spring tournament, the Redbirds finished fourth in the challenging 15-team field, coming in behind just Illinois, Texas State and Michigan.
The Redbirds have been led this spring by Valley Player and Newcomer of the Year candidate Marisa Milligan. She has shot in the 70s in 10 of her 11 rounds, including a season-low third-round total of 72 at the Rio Verde Collegiate Invitational.
