Suzanne Strudwick Interview

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Last week, the Carson-Newman women's golf team played in a tournament with six top-25 teams. This week, the Eagles prepare for a different challenge at the Etowah Intercollegiate, competing against several South Atlantic Conference opponents.

Along with hosts Brevard and Lincoln Memorial, SAC foes Coker and Newberry will be making the trip to Etowah Valley Country Club in Etowah, N.C.

"It's the first, apart from our event, the Smokey Mountain Intercollegiate, this will be our second big conference rivalry event, so looking forward to it," coach Suzanne Strudwick said. "Both Brevard and LMU are hosting, so a lot of our conference teams are going to be there."

Last week, the Eagles finished the Ross Rollins Invitational in Southern Pines, N.C. in sixth-place.

Junior Meridith Hawkins (Powell, Tenn.) led Carson-Newman in Southern Pines, scoring the team-low 238 over the three-round tournament.

Junior Kelli Pemberton and freshman Elizabeth England (Oakland, Tenn.) will also be on the Eagles' squad in the Tar Heel State. Also, sophomore Jessica Hart (Roanoke, Va.) and Mikaela Thibodeau (Davie, Fla.) will be competing. Junior transfer Rebekah Pruett (Niceville, Fla.) will compete this week as an individual.

Both Hart and Thibodeau competed at the SMI, where they finished one shot apart in the final standings.

Thibodeau will making her debut in the team competition as she was played as an individual at the SMI.

"We've got Jessica Hart, who was a freshman last year, sophomore this year, so I'm interested to see how she performs," Strudwick said. "And then Mikaela Thibodeau, last week I took Ashley Kay as a freshman, this week I'm taking Mikaela as our freshman and also, Rebekah Pruett is going to be playing as an individual so it's a good time for her to test herself, her game in a good event."

The tournament ties off Monday and will run through Tuesday afternoon.