MOBILE, Ala. - University of South Alabama women's golf will compete in its final tournament this weekend before the Sun Belt Conference Championship at the MSU Women's Spring Intercollegiate at Juliette Falls Golf Resort in Ocala, Fla., hosted by Morehead State.

Unlike previous tournaments this spring, the 54-hole tournament will take place over three days with 18 holes each day on the par-72, 6,089-yard course, starting Friday morning.

Eight schools, including USA, will compete in the three-day tournament, which features Charleston Southern, Daytona State, Florida Southern, Mercer, Morehead State, St. Leo and Stetson.

"It is a short field, but we still have to play well if we expect to come out on top," USA head coach T.J. Jackson said. "We've had some good finishes this spring, and I feel like we have improved each tournament. Everybody has to play hard to earn a spot to go to our conference tournament."

USA has finished in the top 10 of every tournament this spring, with its best finish coming two weeks ago at the Samford Women's Intercollegiate at Limestone Springs Golf Club in Oneonta, Ala. Last week, the Lady Jaguars took seventh place in a tough field at the John Kirk/Panther Intercollegiate at Eagle's Landing Country Club in Stockbridge, Ga.

"Eagle's Landing was a tough golf course," Jackson said. "We beat some good teams, and that's an incentive for us to keep it going. Georgia State was a longer golf course, and that's why the scores were a little higher than at Limestone Springs.

"I think we're doing a good job of keeping the ball in play. When we play well, we're very efficient with our short games. When we don't play well, we're not efficient. We are a very good team as far as hitting fairways and greens or being very close to those greens. Then it's just a matter of getting the ball in the hole from there. We know as a team that if we're putting and chipping the ball well, we can play with anybody."

South Alabama freshman Fanny Eineren leads the Lady Jaguars into this weekend's tournament with a 77.21 average, which ranks 19th in the Sun Belt Conference. Eineren, a freshman from Kullavik, Sweden, fired a season-low 69 at the Samford Women's Intercollegiate to earn her first win of the season.

USA senior Claudia Wolf ranks 22nd in the SBC with an average of 77.76, and will look to improve upon her top finish of the year when she tied for fourth at the Troy Women's Invitational in October.

This weekend, Lady Jaguar sophomore Anna Sellen-Runefjell will return to the lineup after a month-long absence due to a back injury.

"She has an opportunity to get out there and prove herself," Jackson said. "She hasn't been in the lineup since her injury at our tournament, but she's healthy now, in time for her to play some good golf."

The MSU Women's Spring Intercollegiate will tee-off at 8 a.m. Friday morning, and will conclude with the final round Sunday morning.

"I want us to reach our potential," Jackson said. "At times we do that, I just don't think we've been consistent enough at it. All aspects of the game have to come together, and it's just a matter of us being mentally focused for us to be successful."

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com.  Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

-USA-