INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Blugolds.com) - After winning the WIAC Championship last fall and receiving the conference's automatic bid, the UW-Eau Claire women's golf team will be one of 19 teams to compete at the 2011 NCAA Championships, the NCAA announced today.

The championships will be conducted May 10-13 at the Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida. Oglethorpe University and the Central Florida Sports Commission will serve as hosts.

The Blugolds, ranked third in the nation, will make their 11th consecutive appearance at nationals. Last season, they tied their best finish in program history by claiming third (tied for third in 2005). Eau Claire has finished ninth or better in nine out of 10 appearances. 

Eleven conferences were granted automatic qualification and the remaining eight teams were selected on an at-large basis from conferences and the remaining independent institutions. Six individuals, not from selected teams, also were selected for the championships.

The championships will consist of both team and individual competition conducted concurrently. The tournament consists of 72 holes of play over four days of competition. In the team competition, the low four scores from each team for each day will count in the team's total score.