SCOOBA – East Mississippi Community College’s Lucy Lunceford is set to compete in the first-ever NJCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championship being held this week in Boone, Iowa. The four-day tournament runs through Friday at Cedar Pointe Golf Course.

Lunceford was chosen as an at-large individual selection to compete in this week’s national championship following her 13th-place individual finish at the NJCAA South District Championship played two weeks ago at Cider Ridge Gulf Club in Oxford, Alabama. The Tuscaloosa native and Northside High School product carded rounds of 86 and 85 for a two-day total of 171 during the district tournament.

Currently ranked 23rd nationally among the NJCAA Division II women’s golfers, Lunceford owns a team-leading 86.26 season stroke average while having placed as the Lions’ top finisher in all but one of the team’s 10 tournaments played during EMCC’s debut women’s golf season. In addition, Lunceford has placed no lower than 21st in tournament play throughout the campaign, including winning low medalist honors in her collegiate debut at the season-opening EMCC Invitational played at Tunica National. She then finished runner-up two tournaments later at the Meridian Community College-hosted Jim Redgate Invitational at Briarwood.

Six of the 15 NJCAA Division II women’s teams that either qualified automatically or received one of the three at-large bids participate in the competitive South District, headlined by top-ranked Shelton State Community College. Also automatically qualifying for nationals were fellow Alabama-based district foes Snead State, Wallace State-Hanceville and Jefferson State along with at-large entrants Southern Union State and Northwest Mississippi.

Individually, more than half of the nationally top 30-ranked NJCAA Division II women’s golfers compete on South District teams, including seven Shelton State members led by second-ranked Peyton Maraman.

Arizona-based Mesa Community College enters this week’s national championship ranked second nationally as a team, highlighted by the season-long play of top-ranked Addison King and No. 3-rated Mackenzie Vongphosy.

Following Sunday’s optional practice round, championship week at the Des Moines Area Community College-hosted tournament teed off with Monday’s official practice round followed by the pre-championship banquet that evening. The four-day competition began Tuesday with 8 a.m. tee times at Cedar Pointe, a unique 18-hole golf course with an original nine holes that were designed in the early 1900’s classic style along with featuring a back nine that is a more modern design laid out nearly 100 years later.

Lunceford will become the 11th golfer from East Mississippi Community College to participate in national championship competition on the links, joining former EMCC men’s golfers Joey Partin (2017), Steven Eilders (2015), Hunter Harmon (2014), Miles Respess (2013), Zack Bailey (2011), Weston Wallace (2011), Hal Larkin (2009), Gary Sheppard (2004), Matt King (2001) and Drew McBrayer (1999).