MANHATTAN, Kan. -  The Chip-N-Club Invitational will tee off on Monday, Sept. 10, with 36 holes and will get underway with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. The Tuesday, Sept. 11, final round pairings will be determined by the two rounds played Monday and will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a shotgun start. The low four individual scores will determine the team score for each round.

THE FIELD:  Kansas State is one of three Big 12 schools in the tournament and is joined by an ACC school and three Missouri Valley schools, among others. The entire 18-team field includes Arkansas-Little Rock, Boston College, Creighton, Kansas, Kansas State, McNeese State, Missouri State, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Oral Roberts, Redlands CC, South Dakota State, Texas State, UMKC, Wichita State and William & Mary.

BUILDING ON SUCCESS:  Last year the Wildcats headed up to Lincoln, Neb., and put together a top-5 performance in the Chip-N-Club Invitational at the Yankee Hills Golf Course. As a team, K-State finished fifth with a 313-320-314947, only 18 strokes off the winner, Nebraska. Abbi Sunner paced the Wildcats with a score of 236, good for an 11^th-place finish. Michelle Regan and Helene Robert were right behind, each shooting a 237 and tying for 12^th. All five Wildcat golfers finished in the top-20, and they look to continue that success this year.

THE HOST Woodland Hills Golf Club: Woodland Hills is a par 71, 6,079-yard course located in Eagle, Neb. This will be the tournament’s first appearance at Woodland Hills, which features 36 bunkers, 84 different tees, and water on six holes.

LAST TIME OUT: K-State’s last tournament dates back to the Big 12 Championship in Waco, Texas, in April of 2007. The Wildcats, using a score of 309-321-310940 (+76), placed seventh overall. The finish was K-State’s best in the conference tournament since 2003. Helene Robert, playing in her last Big 12 Championship, finished in a tie for 20^th after carding a 80-76-78234 (+18). Sophomore Abbi Sunner, in her first Big 12 Championship, placed 26^th after shooting a 78-78-79235 (+19). Senior Michelle Regan shot 78-78-79235 (+19) and tied for 32^nd. Senior Hailey Mireles tied for 36^th with a scorecard of 84-79-77240 (+24).

K-State’s Chip-N-Club Lineup

Name                              Yr     Hometown               06-07 Rds     06-07 Avg

Hailey Mireles                  Sr     Garden City, Kan.          11               78.38

Kali Quick                        Sr     Nampa, Idaho                19               78.84

Abbi Sunner                   So     Ankeny, Iowa                 22               78.54

Michelle Regan                Sr     Prairie Village, Kan.        31               76.54

Krista Nelson                    Jr     Overland Park, Kan.        8                83.00

Morgan Moon                 So     Amarillo, Texas               11               81.81

Previewing the Wildcats: K-State loses two players from last year due to graduation in Helene Robert and Katy Heffel, but head coach  Kristi Knight looks to have an experienced squad in 2007-2008. The Wildcats will be lead by the senior trio of Hailey Mireles, Kali Quick and Michelle Regan. Mireles played in every tournament a year ago and owned a 78.38 stroke average. Quick competed in seven tournaments last year, including a season best 13^th-place appearance at the NMSU Invitational, and posted a 78.84 stroke average. Regan had season-high fourth-place showing at the Badger Invitational last year and led the Wildcats in stroke average at 76.54. Coach Knight will also look to junior Krista Nelson and sophomores Abbi Sunner and Morgan Moon, as well as incoming freshmen twins Emily and Elise Houtz, to field a competitive squad in the 2007-2008 season.