IU's season gets underway with Badger Invitational versus 10 teams

The approaching of autumn and cooler temperatures means one thing for a particular group of athletes: the IU women's golf season is about to begin.\nSunday, the Hoosiers open their season at the Badger Invitational at University Ridge Golf Course in Madison, Wis.\nIU coach Clint Wallman is anxious to get the season started and thinks the team's play is coming together well.\n"I am very excited for this weekend's tournament," Wallman said. "We had a great practice this week, our team chemistry is great and I am so excited to finally play our first tournament this weekend."\nWallman also thinks IU may be the class of the field this weekend.\n"If we play well and hit our specific targets we will be in the hunt (to win the tournament)," he said.\nIU sophomore Amber Lindgren concurred with Wallman that the Hoosiers have as good of a chance as any team to outlast everyone this weekend.\n"Anyone can win on any day, and if we do our best we definitely have a chance," said Lindgren.\nThe event this weekend consists of two 18-hole rounds Sunday and one 18-hole round Monday. The tournament Sunday starts at 9 a.m., and Monday's start time is 9:30 a.m.\nThe teams competing in this weekend's tournament against IU are the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Illinois State University, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, the University of Louisville, the University of Memphis, the University of Minnesota, the University of Nebraska, the University of Oklahoma and the University of Wisconsin. \nDespite golf being the main focus this weekend, IU junior Elaine Harris is excited about other things as well.\n"Our parents will be there to cheer us on, and we also have a huge banquet dinner I am looking forward to," she said.\nFor those wishing to follow the Hoosiers in this weekend's tournament, live scoring is available through golfstat.com.\nAlthough winning this weekend's tournament is the ultimate goal, Wallman thinks the Hoosiers can learn a lot from this weekend.\n"This tournament will be a real barometer for what we need to work on to be successful," he said, "and will show how our players approach game action"