Sept. 23, 2009

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The 27th-ranked Purdue women's golf team is looking to defend its title when the Boilermakers travel to Madison, Wis., for the Lady Northern Invitational.

The Boilermakers will challenge all 10 conference opponents in the two-day tournament held Sept. 27 and 28 at the University Ridge Golf Course, a par-72, 6,246-yard course.

The Big Ten teams are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State and host Wisconsin. Rounding out the field of 15 is College of Charleston, Georgetown, Iowa State and Southern Methodist. All but four of the teams are ranked in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings as of Sept. 18, 2009.

Purdue is coming off a second-place finish at the Mary Fossum Invitational where it fired a three-round team total of 878.

Junior Numa Gulyanamitta, freshman Laura Gonzalez Escallon and sophomore Kishi Sinha all shot a team-low 218 at the Mary Fossum Invitational, to finish tied for fifth place as individuals. Talented newcomer Escallon, shot a team-low, two-under par 70 in the second round. Along with Escallon, three other Purdue golfers posted rounds of even par of better, including and even-par 72 in the second round by junior Thea Hoffmeister.

This weekend, Purdue should get a boost from the 2009 Big Ten individual co-champion, junior Maude-Aimee LeBlanc. LeBlanc, a second team All-American and first team All-Big Ten selection, will play in her first tournament of the season for Purdue. In her sophomore campaign, LeBlanc shot 11 rounds of par or better and finished in the top five of seven events including a tie for second at the 2008 Lady Northern Invitational.

The Lady Northern Invitational is a 54-hole event that will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, with 36 holes played on the first day and 18 holes on Monday starting at 8 a.m. Live scoring for the tournament can be found at golfstat.com. Daily recaps and results will be posted at purduesports.com.