CHICAGO (February 24, 2022) – Fresh off a terrific start to its spring season in which it rewrote the program record books, the Loyola University Chicago women's golf team will venture west to Rio Verde, Ariz. at the end of the week for the Rio Verde Invitational.
 
Action at the Rio Verde Country Club (par 72, 6,001 yards) will begin on Friday at 2 p.m. (CT) with the event's opening round.  Saturday's second round and Sunday's final round are set for 9:30 a.m. (CT) starts.  Golfstat.com will provide live scoring throughout the event.
 
Loyola will be joined by a trio of Missouri Valley Conference foes as part of the 18-team field assembled, with Bradley, Illinois State, and Missouri State slated to be in attendance along with host Western Michigan, Akron, Bowling Green, Butler, California Baptist, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kennesaw State, Oakland, Ohio, South Dakota, Wichita State, and Xavier.
 
Head coach Carly Werwie will present an unchanged lineup from the starting five that shattered the 54-hole team program record at the FAU Paradise Invitational, posting an 889 (291-293-305).  That quintet includes senior Lorenza Martinez, junior Caroline Dayton, sophomore Abby Thielbar, and freshmen Jolie Brochu and Grace Suter.
 
Thielbar dazzled during the Ramblers' two-day stay in Florida, setting new 18-hole (66) and 54-hole (66-73-76=215) program records en route to earning a share of 21^st place on the final leaderboard.  The Zionsville, Ind. native went on to be named the MVC Women's Golfer of the Week back on February 10.  Suter continued the promising start to her freshman campaign, using a final-round two-under-par 70 to climb into a tie for 40^th with a 219 (75-74-70), the third lowest 54-hole mark in Rambler annals.
 
Following the Rio Verde Invitational, Loyola will set its sights on a return to The Sunshine State for the Spring Break Shootout, March 14-15, in Dade City, Fla.