NORMAL, Ill. - The IUPUI women's golf team will open its 2022-2023 season this weekend when the Jaguars compete in the 59th Redbird Invitational, hosted by Illinois State at Weibring Golf Club in Normal, Ill. The tournament is slated for 36 holes on Sunday (Sept. 11), followed by a final round on Monday (Sept. 12). 

IUPUI enters this season with high hopes as the majority of last year's lineup returns and two talented recruits joined the program for this fall. Head coach Jamie Broce's team graduated just one player off last year's squad, albeit one of the most talented in program history in Amelie Svejda. Svejda closed her career with the second-best scoring average (76.15) and third highest winning percentage (.775) of any player in program history. However, Broce looks for incremental gains from the cast of returners to help offset her loss. Key returners include Kara Blair (77.44), Shelby Busker (77.85), Annaliese Fox (78.21) and Nerea Lancho (78.41), all of whom played virtually every tournament last season. 

Add in freshmen Yanah Rolston and Reagan Sohn and IUPUI boasts tremendous depth and players capable of winning collegiate tournaments. 

QUOTABLE: "We're definitely excited to get the season going. We believe we have a deep and talented team with a lot of experience and a lot of opportunity to do something special. The ladies have been working really hard and they're ready to go out, see what their games look like and hopefully put up some really good numbers," head coach Jamie Broce said. 

FORMAT: Scoring will be 5-count-4 each day with teams played 36 holes on Sunday (Sept. 11) and a final round on Monday (Sept. 12).  

THE COURSE: Weibring Golf Club is set to play par 72 and 6,010 yards this week. Weibring was designed in 1962 by golf course architect Robert Bruce Harris and originally designed with a regulation length 9 hole course along the outside edges of the property with a shorter executive length 9 hole course in the middle. The course officially opened in May 1964. During the 2000 season, the course for extensive renovations, coordinated by PGA Champions Tour Player and ISU Alumnus D.A. Weibring and his company Golf Resources, Inc. In September 2007, the golf course was renamed to Weibring Golf Club at Illinois State University in honor of D.A.

THE FIELD: IUPUI is among 15 teams competing this week and will be joined by Ball State, Bowling Green, Bradley, Butler, Drake, Eastern Kentucky, Evansville, Illinois State, Indiana State, Loyola, Northern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Southern Indiana and Valparaiso. 

RANKINGS: IUPUI closed the 2021-2022 campaign ranked No. 172 nationally by Golfstat. 

WOMEN'S LINEUP:
    No. 1 - Shelby Busker (77.35 career average / 40 rounds)
    No. 2 - Annaliese Fox (78.03 career average / 34 rounds)
    No. 3 - Nerea Lancho (78.41 career average / 27 rounds)
    No. 4 - Madeleine Pape (79.12 career average / 25 rounds)
    No. 5 - Kara Blair (78.50 career average / 84 rounds)
    Ind. - Ally Stuckey (85.53 career average / 15 rounds)

LAST TIME OUT: IUPUI closed the 2021-2022 season with a fourth-place finish at the Horizon League Championships, carding a 54-hole 929 (319-301-309) at Mission Inn Resort. Busker led the way at 9-over 228 (79-73-76), tying for fourth among the 45-player field.  

NEXT UP: IUPUI will participate in the Cardinal Classic, hosted by Ball State, on Sept. 19-20.