LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV women's golf team will open the team portion of its spring schedule by co-hosting the third annual Rebel Beach Invitational with Long Beach State at Spanish Trail Golf Club, Monday and Tuesday. The two-day 54-hole tournament takes place on a par 72 6,378 yard course and will feature two rounds on Monday followed by a final round on Tuesday.

Three Rebels - sophomore Veronica Joels and freshmen Dana Puyol and Aliyah Williams - officially began spring play last week, taking part in the Battle at Boulder Creek as individual participants. All three finished in the top eight, with Joels and Puyol tying for third at 15-over and Williams tying for eighth at 27-over.

UNLV will be eyeing its second team tournament title of the 2019-20 season after winning its home fall event, the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown, in October.

After Rebel Beach, the Rebels will have a quick turnaround, heading to Peoria, Arizona, for Wisconsin's Westbook Invite, set for Sunday, February 23 and Monday, February 24.

THE FIELD: The 2020 Rebel Beach Invitational features a total of 11 teams including co-hosts UNLV and Long Beach State. In addition to the Rebels and the Beach the teams include Colorado, BYU, Gonzaga, Fresno State, New Mexico, Northern Arizona, UC Irvine, UNR and USC.

THE LINEUP:  The UNLV lineup at Rebel Beach is freshman Elina Saksa, sophomore Veronica Joels, junior Samantha Fuller, junior Cathy Liu and freshman Dana Puyol. Luka Van Der Merwe, Tori James and freshman Aliyah Williams will compete as individuals.

TEE TIMES:
Monday, February 17: 8 a.m. PT* (Two Rounds)
Tuesday, February 18: 8 a.m. PT*
*Shotgun Start

LIVE SCORING: Live scoring will be available on Golfstat at http://results.golfstat.com//public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=participants&tid=18194

FINISHES AT REBEL BEACH: The Rebels have fared well in the home tournament in the first two years of the event, winning the inaugural tournament in 2018 and placing second last February. Former Rebel standout Elizabeth Prior won last year's event by seven strokes.

NOTABLE:
• UNLV has a new look with just two returners from last year's roster. Six new faces have joined the 2019-20 squad.
• Prior to the 2018-19 season, UNLV had won three straight Mountain West titles and made a NCAA postseason appearance in 16 consecutive years.
• Head coach Amy Bush-Herzer is in her ninth year at the helm of the program. She has led her team to a conference championship four times.

-UNLV-