In its new previewing series, 'Touting the Tribe,' TribeAthletics.com gives fans a glance at William and Mary student-athletes to keep an eye on during the upcoming 2012-13 season. The Tribe athlete featured today today is senior Betsy Birchall of the Green and Gold women's golf team.

Birchall is the top returning golfer on the 2012-13 team, and is one of the smartest players ever to don the W&M uniform.  A two-time member of the NGCA Scholar All-American team, Birchall ranked second for the Tribe a year ago with a 78.26 stroke average.  She totaled 414 wins and a .595 winning percentage, and earned top-20 finishes at the Towson Invitational and at the CAA Championships (where she was 19th).  Birchall's sophomore year saw her set or tie the school record for best score in a round (-3), 36-holes (-1), and 54 holes (+1), and for her career so far Birchall ranks second in school history with a 78.06 scoring average.

While the championship portion of the golf season won't begin until February, Birchall and her teammates will play at several tournaments in the fall including the Penn State Nittany Lion Invitational this weekend.  The 54-hole tournament will begin Friday, Sept. 28, and continue through Sunday.