Women's Golf now affiliate members of the Midwest Conference

St. Louis, Mo. – Fontbonne University Director of Athletics, Maria Eftink, announced today that the Fontbonne University women's golf team will now be affiliate members of The Midwest Conference (MWC) beginning this 2015-16 season.

"The Midwest Conference is a great conference and an ideal fit for our women's golf program," said Eftink. "I am very excited to now have all of our NCAA teams in a conference as the ability to compete for our conference championship is an important aspect of an athletic season. Our golfers are anxiously anticipating the beginning of the season and this new chapter for Fontbonne women's golf."

"We are pleased to welcome Fontbonne University and its women's golf program to the Midwest Conference," said Jonathan Brand, Chair of MWC Presidents Council and Cornell College President. "Our student-athletes, particularly in women's golf, will greatly benefit from this formal association with Fontbonne University—an institution which shares our commitment to the important role that athletics plays in the academic experience."

With the addition of Fontbonne, the MWC will now include eight institutions that sponsor women's golf including Carroll University, Fontbonne, Grinnell College, Illinois College, Knox College, Lake Forest College, Monmouth College and St. Norbert College. The eight teams will compete for the Midwest Conference Championship from October 2-4 at Aldeen Golf Club in Rockford, Ill. Grinnell College has won the past two team championships while Carroll College won each of the four years prior.

"The Conference is excited to add a women's golf program that is on the rise and will contribute to the competitiveness of our annual Conference Championship," commented MWC Executive Director Heather Benning.

Last season, the Griffins competed in eight tournaments and tied for the team title with Carroll at the four-team MacMurray College Invite. Fontbonne performed better than Carroll and St. Norbert at the UW-Steven's Point Mad Dawg Invite and placed above Illinoic College at their own invite in their 2014 season opener.

"We are extrememly excited to be joining the Midwest Conference," said head coach Lance Thornhill. "It allows us the chance to compete for our first conference championship in the program's history. From a coaching perspective, this provides a great opportunity for the 2015-16 squad, and a huge incentive for future recruiting."

"We're excited to have Fontbonne women's golf join our league," said Knox College Director of Athletic and Chair of MWC Membership Committee Chad Eisele. "Their commitment to providing a competitive program will make our conference that much better."

Fontbonne is the second affiliate member to join the 95-year old league and the first in women's golf. The Midwest Conference is currently comprised of 11 private, liberal arts colleges and universities in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin: Beloit College, Carroll University, Cornell College, Grinnell College, Illinois College, Knox College, Lake Forest College, Lawrence University, Monmouth College, Ripon College and St. Norbert College.

Fontbonne is a charter member of the Saint Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference comprised of 10 private institutions: Blackburn College, Eureka College, Fontbonne, Greenville College, Iowa Wesleyan College, MacMurray College, Principia College, Spalding University, Webster University and Westminster College. The MWC is the Griffins' third affiliate conference. Men's Lacrosse is a member of the Midwest Lacrosse Conference and men's volleyball competes in the Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League.