EMCC women’s golf trio set to begin program’s second season with fall opener at Kirkwood National

SCOOBA – With first-year head coach Mark Furnari at the helm, the East Mississippi Community College women's golf program is set to begin its second season of competition this week (Sept. 15-16) at the Northwest Ranger Classic hosted by Northwest Mississippi Community College. Golf action is set to take place Monday and Tuesday at Kirkwood National Golf Club in Holly Springs.

In charge of both the EMCC men's and women's golf programs from the school's Golden Triangle campus in Mayhew, Furnari is a Caledonia High School product who spent his collegiate career competing and most recently serving as a graduate assistant for head golf coach Benji Williams at The W (MUW) in Columbus.

"The girls have been putting in a lot of work in practice and have been eager to get better every day," Furnari said of his returning sophomore trio.

For the second straight semester, the EMCC women's golf program will feature three players during the upcoming fall campaign. Reigning NJCAA Championship participant Lucy Lunceford (Tuscaloosa, AL/Northside HS) returns for the Lions along with fellow sophomores Kaylee Dufrene (New Orleans, LA/Mount Carmel Academy) and Lannee Bray (Raymond, MS/Central Hinds Academy).

After finishing 38^th at last year's inaugural NJCAA Division II Women's Golf Championship held in Boone, Iowa, Lunceford was ranked 23^rd nationally among the 2024-25 NJCAA Division II women's golf individual player rankings and first among participants from MACCC member schools, as accorded by Scoreboard powered by Clippd.

"Lucy's short game has been excellent so far. She should score very well this week if she plays her game," Furnari continued. "Kaylee and Lannee have been hitting the ball well and could have an advantage since they both drive fairly long."

Joining EMCC and host Northwest Mississippi during this week's fall women's golf opener at Kirkwood is conference foe newcomer Northeast Mississippi along with Shelton State, Snead State and Calhoun from the state of Alabama as well as Tennessee-based Roane State.

Following this week's season-opening action at Kirkwood National in Holly Springs, the remainder of the EMCC women's golf fall schedule has the Lions slated to compete at the NJCAA Division II South District Preview (Sept. 29-30 at Cider Ridge/Oxford, AL), Jefferson State Women's Fall Invitational (Oct. 27-28 at Musgrove/Jasper, AL), and in the Mississippi Girls Match Play Classic (Nov. 3-4 at Deerfield/Canton, MS).