The 30th ranked Mississippi State women's golf team will compete in Tunica, Miss. for the 2005 SEC Championship this weekend. The three day event will be played at the par 72, 7,210-yard Tunica National Golf Course. The tournament will begin Friday, April 15 and run through Sunday, April 17. Tee times for each of the three rounds are set to begin at 8:30 a.m.

"The team is excited about playing this year's championship in our own state," said head coach Christi Sanders. "We take a lot of positives into the championship coming off a successful regular season."

This year's SEC Championship in Tunica marks the first tournament the Lady Bulldogs have played in the Magnolia State since the SEC Championship was held at Old Waverly Country Club in 1994. The 12 team field in this year's championship features six teams in the top 25 and 8 teams in the top 50 rankings according to golfweek.

Mississippi State's lineup will feature Amanda Mathis, Beth Irwin, Janet Dyer, Stephanie Godare and Julia Huh. The Lady Bulldogs are lead by sophomore Mathis who currently holds a 75.00 stroke average for the 2004-2005 season. Mathis comes into this year's conference championship with five top-10 finishes and a win at the Wildcat Invitational last October.

As a team, Mississippi State has finished in the top-10 in seven of the eight tournaments this season. The Lady Bulldogs also have a tournament title under their belt after claiming the Wildcat Invitational in the second tournament of the fall season. MSU is currently ranked sixth in the league in stroke average with a 303.78 average per 18 holes.

In the 2004 SEC tournament held at the University Club in Baton Rouge, La., Mississippi State shot a 923 to finish in 11th place. Then sophomore Godare led the Lady Bulldogs with a three-round total of 227 and a tie for 31st place. The team champion was Vanderbilt and May Wood of Vanderbilt took home the individual title.