It's not been a great winter if you're a golfer, but despite practicing inside for the past couple months, the spring season begins Sunday for the University of Evansville women's golf team. Coach Jim Hamilton's squad plays its first of six tournaments Sunday and Monday at Calera, Alabama in the 36-hole Ann Rhoades Invitational at Timberline Golf Club.

Top returning players include juniors Emily Johnson and Maggie Wood, and sophomores Lauren Ellerman, Alyssa Key and Chelsea Zusan. UE finished strong in the fall season, coming in fourth in a field of 10 teams at the Dayton Invitational in late October. Three UE players finished among the leaders in the field of 53 golfers at Dayton, including Johnson (4th), Ellerman (9th) and Wood (13th).

"The strong finish at Dayton gave the girls a lot to be optimistic about heading into the spring season," Hamilton says. "They've been working hard during the winter, and they're looking forward to this season even more so because we will be hosting the conference tournament."

This year's State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Women's Golf Championship is April 18-20 at Rolling Hills Country Club in Newburgh.