EMCC women’s golf team participated in its first competition this week at Tunica National, with all five athletes placing in the top 10.

TUNICA RESORTS – The East Mississippi Community College women’s golf program made a dominant debut this week by claiming team and individual medalist honors at the EMCC Invitational held at Tunica National.

Led by individual medalist Lucy Lunceford, all five EMCC women’s players placed within the top-10 finishers of the three-team, 16-player women’s field. Lunceford, a Tuscaloosa native out of Northside High School, fired rounds of 87 and 86 in her collegiate debut to earn a three-stroke win (173-176) over Northwest Mississippi’s Kali Figueroa.

Carding consistent rounds of 367 and 365 as a team in their inaugural women’s competition, the Lions’ winning team score of 732 was followed by conference foes Northwest Mississippi (404-408—812) and Pearl River (468-450—918), who were also both making their women’s golf debuts.

The EMCC trio of Reese McNeer, Kaylee Dufrene and Caymen Bunting finished third, fourth and fifth 192, with 177, 190 and 192 respectively, among the individual women’s leaders. Fellow freshman Lannee Bray rounded out the Lions’ lineup card with a ninth-place tie with a total score of 214.

Head coach Ashton Maddaloni’s EMCC women’s team is slated to be back in action, Sept. 30-Oct. 1, playing in the Snead State Invitational to be held at Cherokee Ridge Country Club in Union Grove, Alabama.

Playing at the same venue Monday and Tuesday in Tunica Resorts, the EMCC men placed seventh among the 11-team field consisting of conference foes in the MACCC Region Preview tournament. Maddaloni’s Lions carded rounds of 320 and 316 for a total team score of 636.

Meridian Community College claimed team medalist honors with a score of 595 over runner-up East Central at 613. Northeast Mississippi Community College took third with a team score of 615. MCC’s Bruce McClung (142) captured the individual title with a seven-stroke victory over Copiah-Lincoln’s Oscar Toreld (149).

Individually, all five players in EMCC’s starting lineup shot within one stroke of each other for the tournament. Sophomores Trace Carpenter and Brian Ludden finished in a tie for 26th place with respective scores of 160. Right behind them in a 29th-place tie for the Lions were reigning All-MACCC performer Lorenzo Ligabue of Italy along with freshmen Pelayo Castillo of Spain and Prentiss Christian School product Bryce Shivers with 161.

Also competing for the EMCC men as individual participants during the fall season opener were Water Valley native Walker Tedford (167), Lawson Burton (168) out of Itawamba Agricultural High School, and Leake Academy product Whitt Welch (169).

The Lions are scheduled to continue MACCC men’s golf competition, Oct. 7-8, at the Jim Redgate Invitational to be hosted by Meridian Community College at Briarwood Golf Club.