Golfweek

The Horizon League will once again be migrating south in the spring for both the men's and women's conference championship.

Last year, the league moved its tournament to Mission Inn in Howey-In-The-Hills, Fla. to provide the teams with a nice climate for the year-end championship.

The Horizon League title use to be determined in Kentucky, but coaches and schools in the conference asked for the tournament to be moved to a southern location for better weather. The tournament accommodates a handful of schools in the conference who have the same coach for both the men's and women's teams.

To assist those coaches, the men teams tee off in the morning and play their round first. Then, in the afternoon, the women tee off and play their tournament.

"Having both the men's and women's championship at the same time and location has been a good thing," said Chris Halstead, the Director of Student Athlete Affairs for the Horizon League. "It worked out really well at Mission Inn last year, and should again this year."

The Horizon League championship is committed to play at Mission Inn through the 2013 season. After next spring's championship the league's executive council will decide if the championship should stay at Mission Inn or take it's golfers elsewhere.

"The partnership at Mission Inn has a been a good one for the league," Halstead said. "The student athletes had a great time there and they know how to accommodate the kids."

Last year, the Butler women won their fifth conference title in seven years, and Cleveland State won the men's tournament for the third time in four years.

For at least two more years Mission Inn will host the Horizon League Championship, but it appears the location and venue could become a Horizon League tradition.