The women's golf team will travel to the Rio Pinar golf course over spring break to compete against the University of Central Florida and 15 other teams.

Fall season standouts Kristin Clark, Jackie Foust, Cathy Gitzendanner, Wendy MacTurk, Brenda Williamson and Meg Young will represent the Lady Lions in the tournament.

Because Penn State, the only northern team competing in the event, must practice indoors during the winter, it could be at a disadvantage since the other teams have the opportunity to practice outside all year.

However, Young, who is making her first trip with the team over break, said the Lady Lions could have an advantage because they will go into the tournament having nothing to lose.

"Anything could happen when you haven't played in awhile," assistant coach Denise St. Pierre agreed. "You could put together the best round you ever played."

Williamson said the Lady Lions have taken advantage of the few days of good weather by hitting outside.

"I'm definitely ready to play," she said. "And from the way things are going at Holuba Hall, everyone else is too."

University of Central Florida coach Mike Shumaker said the competitive Rio Pinar course was once the site of an LPGA event in the 1960s and the PGA's Citrus Open.

St. Pierre expects Penn State to place in the middle to top fourth of the field, behind Miami and Southern Florida, which are among the favorites.

Last year during spring break, Penn State finished 10th out of 18 teams in the Hudson Industries Invitational at Alabama. Clark, Foust, Gitzendanner, MacTurk, Debbie Patton and Williamson posted team scores of 325-322-329 for a 976 total.

The men's tennis team will journey south over the spring break to take on seven teams in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

"Hey, we're going down there with the idea we can beat them all," Coach Holmes Cathrall said. "It's going to be tough, but that's what we expect it to be. I think it's going to help us in the long run."

Making the trip will be senior Mark Cavalier, junior Dave Schoenly, sophomores Scott Pickering and Troy Surdick and freshmen Jason Rayman, Mark Price, Sean Snee and Corey Goldstein. The Lions' current doubles teams are Cavalier and Schoenly, Rayman and Surdick, and Price and Pickering.

Penn State will face Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Blacksburg, Va., tomorrow. On succeeding days, the Lions will play Duke, North Carolina, Anderson College, Presbyterian College, Elon College and Washington and Lee.

"I feel this kind of team I have this year is well-balanced," Cathrall said. "This team is starting to gel. I think it's going to be a good season."

The Lions are 1-1 after defeating Mercyhurst and losing to Ohio University last weekend. Rayman, Schoenly and the doubles team of Price and Pickering were double winners for Penn State.

A 17-day layoff from competition follows the team's return from the spring-break trip. The Lions return to action March 20 when they host Temple.