KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The Western Michigan golf team opens up 2016 with the Mid American Match Play Challenge hosted by Bowling Green at Royal Lakes Golf Course in Bradenton, Fla., beginning on Monday.

The Broncos enter the tournament as the No. 5 seed and take in IPFW on Monday morning beginning at 8:05 a.m. WMU will travel Sarah White, Kaitlyn Watkins, Claire Hernandez, Julia Champion and Chloe Lawrie. A Western Michigan victory over the Mastodons would pit them against Northern Illinois on Monday afternoon.

"We are excited to get our spring season underway," said head coach Stacy Snider. "The match play format is a great way to cme out of the winter and jump into competition without having to post a number. I know the team is ready to finally get tournament play underway and will be ready for some good matches against the best of the MAC."

WMU took on competition from the MAC back in October at the MAC Fall Preview hosted by Eastern Michigan. The Broncos took second place and all five golfers finished in the top 25, led by Hernandez who finished in ninth with a three-round score of 226 (+10). This is the first action for the team since taking ninth at the Arkansas Little Rock Golf Classic back on Nov. 1.

Up Next for Western Michigan is its lone home meet of the season, the Rio Verde Invitational on Feb. 26-28 in Rio Verde, Ariz. WMU also has the Bulldog Florida Invitational (March 9-10), the John Kirk Panther (March 27-29), and the Gary Crossley Ford KC (April 4-5) before the MAC Championship in Noblesville, Ind., on April 22-24.