The team has gotten some lucky breaks in the weather and has managed to squeeze in a few days practicing outside, which is more than some of the other schools attending the tournament have gotten.

"We have been able to get outside for six or seven days," coach Denise St. Pierre said. "But we do have one of the best indoor facilities and that's an advantage."

The Mid-West Classic, hosted by Northwestern and Minnesota, usually is held in Arizona, but because of timing, costs and other various difficulties this year, the course was not available and the event was moved to Texas.

Penn State's six starters will begin their practice rounds today, going through both the physical and the mental parts of their games.

"We are capable of winning anything," Doell said. "We have to work together as a team. We've been working inside and also doing a lot of mental preparation."

Lion Andrea Lavelle will be the only freshman representing Penn State at the event, but is not worried about performing well.

"I'm not at all intimidated," she said. "I have my teammates there to help me, and it's so much fun that I'm not intimidated at all anymore."

Many of the Lions are excited just to get back outside and work their way into the polls, especially after last semester, when many were not entirely pleased with their performances and said they could have done better.

"We struggled a little last semester," Lavelle said. "This semester, we are looking forward to starting over."