Rio Verde welcomes more than 120 women golfers from 18 colleges and universities for the Rio Verde NCAA Invitational this week.

Originally known as the East/West Rio Verde Invitational, the Rio Verde Invitational is in its 13th year existence and will tee off Friday, March 13, through Sunday, March 15. Practice rounds will be played Thursday.

Host Western Michigan University, from Kalamazoo, Mich., won the inaugural invitational in the spring of 2003 with a score of 614. For only the fourth time in event history, the 2015 edition of the Rio Verde will it be played on the White Wing par 72 course, which was re-designed by Tom Layman in 2008-2009.

The tournament moved from a 36-hole to a 54-hole format in 2005. The field is comprised of 18 teams, including 17 returners from last year and among those the 2014 champion Xavier.

The 2015 field for the tournament includes: host Western Michigan, ULAR, Toledo, Eastern Michigan, Seton Hall, Illinois State, Northern Illinois, Bowling Green, Wichita State, Ball State, Northern Arizona, defending champion Xavier, Missouri State, Bradley, Ohio, Akron, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

The tournament is an 18-team, 54-hole competition with a shotgun start each day scheduled as follows: Thursday (practice round) 1 p.m.; Friday (Round 1) 1 p.m.; Saturday (Round 2) 8 a.m.; Sunday (Round 3) 8 a.m. Five players are on each team with only four scores counting.

Rio Verde residents open their homes to the more than 120 players, families, coaches and team staff members during their stay. On Saturday a barbecue will start 5 p.m. at “The Ranch” for all teams with food, music and great times to be had by all.

Live stats for the tournament will be posted throughout the tournament on GolfStat.com and complete coverage of the event will be available at wmubroncos.com.