The ISU women’s golf team will travel to Lincoln, Neb., Monday to defend last year’s first-place finish at the Chip-N-Club Invitational.

Of the eleven teams competing in the tournament, head coach Julie Manning said she thinks there are several teams the Cyclones need to beat to repeat as champions.

“Of course the home team, Nebraska, will be the team to beat,” Manning said. “We’ll also have to go up against Kansas State, which has one of the best golfers in the Midwest and the University of Denver is always tough.”

Iowa State will play 36 holes Monday and 18 holes Tuesday. Manning said she thinks the format could negatively affect some of her players.

“Louise Kenney will fly in from Scotland straight to Nebraska on Saturday, so I’m sure she’ll be a little beat,” Manning said. “Lisa Meshke also kind of hurt her back down in Arkansas, so I don’t know if she’ll be able to play all 36 holes in one day.”

Kenney had been competing with the Scottish national team.

Despite the injury to Meshke, Manning said she still feels like the Cyclones can do well in Nebraska.

“Louise is a tough son-of-a-gun so I’m not worried about her,” she said. “Leanne Owens had great play in Arkansas and I expect she will do a good job.”

Owens said she hopes she can do better in Lincoln than she did last year. “Last year I didn’t do well, so I’m hoping to shoot a 78 or under,” she said.

Both Manning and Owens said they expect true freshman Christi Athas to step up big on Monday and Tuesday.

“I think with Meshke playing a little hurt and Kenney coming in from a long trip, Christi will really be able to step up and carry a load for the team,” Manning said.

Owens said she feels the same toward Athas’ play.

“Christi is real fresh, she’s been real consistent this year,” Owens said. “She’s going to do really good things in her career.”

Manning said she feels winning the tournament last year will be a real advantage for the team.

“With the exception of Christi, we’re all really familiar with the course, and I think that can at least lead to a top three place,” she said.

Owens said she feels positive about the team’s possible outcome too.

“I really think we can win it again,” she said. “All we need to do is put some good rounds together and we can have a real chance.”