Tournament Name: 51st Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic
Dates: March 24-26
Host: Georgia
Course: UGA Golf Course - Par 72, 6,327 yards
Location: Athens, Ga.
Format: 18 holes each day
Field: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, College of Charleston, Daytona State, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Southern, Louisville, North Carolina, Purdue, San Diego State, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Virginia
Georgia Southern Lineup (scoring average)
Abby Newton (22 rds, 73.59)
Haley Yerxa (19 rds, 74.47)
Alex Stevenson (15 rds, 75.60)
Regina Plascencia (13 rds, 77.00)
Meiqi Gao (17 rds, 77.35)
Karlee Vardas (22 rds, 76.32)*
*Playing as individual
Georgia Southern plays in the 51st Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic, hosted by Georgia at UGA Golf Course, for the second consecutive season. The tournament runs Friday through Sunday with 18 holes each day. The field features nine teams in the top-50 in the country, according to Golfstat, and three in the top-10.
The Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic is one of the oldest sporting events in all of women's intercollegiate athletics. The tourney began in 1973 as the Georgia Invitational before becoming the Women's Southern Intercollegiate from 1977-94. In 1995, the tourney was renamed in honor of Liz Murphey, UGA's Hall of Fame golf coach and longtime Senior Woman Administrator.
The event serves as a homecoming for Georgia Southern second-year coach Mimi Burke, who served as an assistant coach at Georgia from 2017-21.
The Eagles last competed March 11-12 at the Valspar Augusta Invitational at Forest Hills Golf Club in Augusata, where Haley Yerxa led Georgia Southern by tying for 14th.
Abby Newton makes her 28th start in the lineup for the Eagles,and Yerx a is in the lineup for the eighth straight event. Alex Stevenson makes her 14th career start, while Regina Plascencia and Meiqi Gao are in the lineup for the fourth time. Karlee Vardas will play as an individual.
Georgia Southern is paired with No. 4 South Carolina and College of Charleston for Friday's first round and will tee off the first hole at 9:15 a.m.
Following the weekend, GS caps the regular season by playing in the Mimosa Hills Intercollegiate April 3-4. The tournament is hosted by Appalachian State at Mimosa Hills Golf and Country Club in Morganton, North Carolina.
