KALAMAZOO, Mich. - It will have been three weeks since Western Michigan golf played a competitive round of golf when the Broncos tee it up at the Third Annual UALR Women's Golf Classic (March 30-31) hosted by Arkansas-Little Rock in Hot Springs, Ark., at the Diamante Country Club.  This will be the first time WMU has participated in this tournament.

Western Michigan is one of three teams from the Mid-American Conference in this year's field of 21.  The Broncos are joined by Eastern Michigan and Toledo.  Arkansas-Little Rock (host), Arkansas State, Central Arkansas, Florida International, Louisiana Monroe, McNeese State, Middle Tennessee, Univ. of Missouri Kansas City, Missouri State, Northern Iowa, Oral Roberts, Sam Houston State, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Texas Pan Am, Texas-El Paso, Troy, Western Kentucky and Wichita State fill out the field.

There will be a new team champion in 2009 as last year's winner, Tulsa, is not returning to defend its title.  Oral Roberts' Christy Carter, last year's medalist after a one-hole playoff, will be back in the field.  UALR won the inaugural Women's Golf Classic in 2007and finished third a year ago.

Western Michigan will have Elise Swartout, Katrina Templar, Leah Grawburg, Stephanie Koske and Briana May in its line for the Monday-Tuesday tournament.  The field will play 36 holes on Monday followed by a final round of 18 on Tuesday.  The Broncos and the rest of the participants will hold a practice round at the par-72, 6,200-yard course on Sunday.

Five Broncos find themselves ranked among the MAC's top-40 golfers heading into this weekend with Swartout leading the way in seventh with a 76.71 per round average.  Britney Hamilton joins Swartout in the top 10 at 10th with a 77.18 average.  Grawburg, Koske and Templar rank 27th, 30th and 35th, respectively.

Results will be available after each round on www.wmubroncos.com.