Willamette Set to Host NWC Fall Classic in Women's Golf at Emerald Valley

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

SALEM, Ore. -- The Northwest Conference Fall Classic in women's golf will be held this weekend, with Willamette University hosting the event at Emerald Valley Golf Club and Resort in Creswell, Oregon. The tournament will begin on Saturday, Oct. 8 and conclude on Sunday, Oct. 9. Action will start at 10 a.m. (PDT). each day.

The NWC Fall Classic is one of three tournaments used by the NWC to determine the overall champion. The NWC Fall Classic and the NWC Spring Classic are each worth one-fourth of the title, while the NWC Tournament is worth one-half.

All nine Northwest Conference teams are scheduled to compete, although Willamette will not have a full team. Each team may enter up to five golfers in the NWC Fall Classic, with the top four finishers each day counting toward the team score.

George Fox University won the 2015 NWC Fall Classic and eventually won the 2015-16 NWC title. Whitworth University placed second at the Fall Classic and Whitman College was third. Whitman took second place in the overall NWC standings.

Competing this weekend for Willamette will be Maddi Barnett (Jr., Boise, ID/Timberline HS) and Lexi Towner (Fr., Chico, CA/Chico HS). Sydney Maluenda from George Fox, who won the 2015 NWC Fall Classic in Sunriver, Oregon, is back to defend her title. Kristin Elich, also from GFU, returns after tying for second place a year ago.