Virginia Golfers Open Spring Season at Miami

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Feb. 18, 2006

Charlottesville – The 13th-ranked Virginia women’s golf team opens its spring season Sunday at Miami’s Papa John’s Collegiate Golf Championship. The 12-team field will compete Sunday through Tuesday at Don Shula’s Golf Club in Miami Lake, Fla.

Joining the Cavaliers and host Hurricanes will be Alabama, East Carolina, the College of Charleston, Kentucky, Louisville, Mississippi State, North Carolina State, UAB, South Florida and Southern Mississippi.

Virginia’s lineup for its first spring event includes Lauren Mielbrecht at No. 1 followed by Rachel Smith, Leah Wigger Jennie Arseneault and Carly Truitt. Sally Shonk will compete as an individual.

Mielbrecht enters the event ranked 19th nationally by Golfweek while Wigger, the NCAA runnerup in 2005, is right behind her at 23rd. Mielbrecht led the Cavaliers last fall with a 73.25 stroke average while Wigger as second at 73.50.

The tournament will be the first collegiate event for Arseneault. The first-year enrolled at UVa in January after completing her high school requirements in December.

The 54-hole tournament begins with a 12:30 shotgun start on Sunday. Monday’s play begins from the first hole at 8 a.m. and Tuesday’s final round gets underway with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. Virginia is paired with East Carolina and Alabama during the opening round. There is no live scoring for this event.