April 21, 2011
MVC Championship Central l 2011 MVC Championship Program 
NORMAL, Ill. - The Illinois State women's golf team prepares for a big weekend as the Redbirds look to stretch their consecutive championship titles to four while playing host to the 2011 Missouri Valley Conference Championship Friday and Saturday at the par-72, 6,139-yard Weibring Golf Club in Normal. The tournament champion will advance to the NCAA Regionals.
The MVC Championship will include three rounds and 54 holes, with 36 holes being played Friday and 18 holes Saturday. Friday begins with an 8:30 a.m. (CST) shotgun start and Saturday has an 8:30 a.m. tee time start.
In the pre-championship poll, Missouri State received nine-of-10 first-place votes, placing the Bears in first place with 99 total points. The Wichita State Shockers received the other first-place vote and were picked to take second place with 88 points. Illinois State edged out Bradley for third place, giving the Redbirds 77 points and the Braves 74.
Southern Illinois (60) was predicted to take fifth place, as the poll predicted Northern Iowa (51) in sixth place, Drake (37) in seventh, Indiana State (30) in eighth, Creighton (19) in ninth and Evansville (14) rounded out the voting in 10th.
Going into the championship weekend, Illinois State holds the most team titles with 11, four ahead of Southern Illinois. The Redbirds go into the 2011 championship as three-time defending champions (2008, 2009 and 2010). Last year, a three-round 909, gave the `Birds a 14-stroke victory in Newburgh, Ind.
The 2010 individual champion was Drake's Olivia Lansing, who carded a three-round 219.
The Redbirds look to become the first team in tournament history to hold four-consecutive tournament titles, as ISU shares the three-straight golf crowns with Tulsa (1994, 1995 and 1996).
"I couldn't be happier to showcase Weibring Golf Club for such an important conference championship," said head coach Darby Sligh. "It's a great feeling to be at home, and it's time for this team to put three rounds together and bring home a historic fourth MVC Championship."
The ISU lineup will include senior Terra Miller, junior Hannah Bachman, sophomore Katie Jean and freshmen Brianna Cooper and Rachel Powers.
Miller, the team leader, recorded 15 rounds in the 70's, with a lowest round of 72 while participating in all 26 rounds this season.
Cooper shows promise going into the championship, as the freshman recorded 20 rounds in the 70's, a team-low stroke-average of 77.4 and participated in all 26 rounds during the season.
"I am extremely hopeful and excited despite us falling short on a number of rounds this year," Sligh said. "This is a very talented group of Redbirds, and I trust that they will come out hungry and ready as ever to fight to defend their title."
ISU's hosting duties come for the first time since 2002, when Bradley won the championship by eight strokes. Live scoring will be available at GolfStat.com and the MVC Tournament Central page, with results being distributed at the conclusion of each round.
Admission to the MVC Championship will be free to all spectators, with four-passenger golf carts making continuous loops between the Weibring Golf Club parking lot and the four spectator zones (tee boxes 4, 7, 13 and 16).
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