ROUND 1

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. -- Led by rounds of par from both Tara McFadden and Virginia Mayer, the Elon women's golf team opened its 2010-11 campaign by shooting a round of 300 in the opening round of the Great Smokies Intercollegiate.  The Phoenix is in a four-way tie for fifth place in the 24-team field.  Jacksonville State leads the field with a score of 289.

Both McFadden and Mayer carded rounds of 72 on day one of the two-day event and are tied for 11th individually.  Diana Davis sits in a tie for 39th in the field of 124 golfers after she posted a first-round score of 76.  Elon's field was completed by Martyna Mierzwa and Shannon Prunty who both fired 80s on day one to sit in a tie for 84th.

There is a four-way tie atop the individual leaderboard with Lucia Fernandez (Jacksonville State), Rachel Lewis (USC Upstate), Katherine Bell (Tennessee Tech) and Jaime Ritter (UAB) all posting a first round score of 69.

Five strokes behind Jacksonville State on the team leaderboard is Bowling Green which shot a 294.  In a tie for third is Appalachian State and Old Dominion who both posted a 299.

In the tie with Elon are UAB, host Western Carolina and William & Mary.

The final round of the tournament will be held on Sunday.