LEXINGTON, Ky. ? The University of Kentucky women?s golf team embarks on a journey to the Southeastern Conference Championship to compete against the nation?s top collegiate women?s golf teams. The Cats travel to Tunica, Miss., for the championship April 15-17 at the Tunica National Golf & Tennis Club. The event is free and open to the public. All three rounds tee off at 9:30 a.m. EDT each day.

In 2004, the University of Kentucky hosted the SEC Women?s Golf Championship at the University Club of Kentucky. The Wildcats were led by then-sophomore Erin Faulkner, who finished tied for 39th. UK head coach Stephanie Barker has a trio of solid performers for this year?s tournament.

?Ali Kicklighter, Beth Felts and Elizabeth Dotson have played well all year and if they can step it up at the SEC tournament that would be great,? said Barker.

The trio all rank in the top-50 in the SEC Women?s individual rankings. Dotson, a freshman, recorded her highest finish, tied for seventh, at the Wildcat Fall Invitational. She has fired career-low rounds of 72 on three separate occasions this season. Kicklighter?s highest finish came at the LSU/Cleveland Golf Classic, where she recorded a career-low 71 for the second round. Felts, also a freshman, recorded a career-low 73 at the UT Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship. Junior Erin Faulkner and sophomore Emily Culberston complete the Kentucky five competing at the conference tournament.

?The expectations I have for the team every week is to bring home a top-5 finish, and the SEC Championship is no different,? said Barker. ?This is the most experienced team that we have and with a mixture of confidence and experience, we have the capability to bring home that top-5 finish.?

This year marks the first time the SEC Tournament has been held at Tunica and only the third time in Mississippi. The 1993 championship took place in Jackson, while the 1994 tourney was staged in West Point.

Six SEC teams are currently ranked among the NCAA?s top 17, including No. 3 Auburn and No. 4 Georgia. Other top-25 squads include No. 10 Tennessee, No. 13 LSU, No. 15 Florida and No. 17 Arkansas.

Tunica National features a 7,210-yard, par 72, 18-hole public golf course, designed by renowned architect Mark McCumber.