RAPID CITY - It's starting to look like the 2009 NAIA Women's Golf National Championship is turning into another Oklahoma City University party.

The Stars once again got great performances up and down their lineup Thursday at Meadowbrook Golf Course to open up a 24-shot advantage over second-place Bethel (Ind.), which is at 75-over par as a team. Embry-Riddle is three shots behind Bethel at

78-over, followed by California Baptist (+83) and British Columbia (+96).

The Stars showed off the balance that has obviously served them well in winning four straight NAIA national titles. Oklahoma City's Sydney Cox equaled the lowest score of the third round, following an impressive 73 on Wednesday with another 73 to move into the lead in the individual race. Another Star, Ashley Sholer, also shot 73 to move into second place. All five of the Stars - Cox, Sholer, Christina Cung (tied for seventh), Morgan Gay (tied for 15th) and Laura Jones (tied for 15th) - are in the top 15 heading into today's final round.

"It was a great day for the OCU Stars, for sure," Oklahoma City head coach M.J. Desbiens said. "I think the thing that I'm most excited about is that everyone is kind of hanging in there together. Obviously, Sydney and Ashley played very well today, but I was really proud of Christina and how she hung in there (shot a 78) after three double bogeys."

Desbiens says that she's hoping her team plays like it's leading by five shots instead of 24 on Friday, and she hopes that all of them go out and shoot for the top as far as individual goals go.

"I'd really like to see them all tie, one through five, and have to go into a playoff," Desbiens said of her team. "That's not very realistic, is it? But I do think it's realistic that they could all get into the top 10."

The top 17 teams qualified for the final day - including Dakota Wesleyan University, which tied William Woods University for 17th place. The top 40 individuals and ties also make the cut. Tee times begin at 7:30 a.m. and all players will tee off on hole No. 1. The highest scores will tee off first.

Cox, playing her final collegiate round today, is three shots in front of Sholer, six in front of Wayland Baptist's Charlotte Guilleux and defending champion Shanna Page, of Bethel, and seven shots on top of first- and second-round leader Adriana Niclotti (California Baptist), who shot a third-round 81. Cal Baptist's Malin Thorberg, Cung, Embry-Riddle's Albane Flamant, Lee University's Rachel Ingram, Bethel's Kara Ballinger, Lindsey Wilson's Krista Burton and Lee's Julie Donnestad rounded out the top 10. Ingram and Donnestad are the only two Lee University players in the field by virtue of qualifying as individuals. This is the first season of women's golf at the Nashville, Tenn., school.

"It was good, anytime you're not aiming 50 yards one way or the other because of the wind it's going to be easier," Ingram, who transferred to Lee from the University of Tennessee, said. "I was just happy to be done with (Wednesday)."

Cox sounded like she had been listening to an old hit by the Rolling Stones after her third round.

"I made all of the putts that I needed but I didn't make any that I wanted," she said. "I don't know, it was a good day as far as my score, but I felt like I could have gone a lot lower. I'll make some putts tomorrow."

She's looking to savor the final round, no matter what happens.

"I don't think any golfer ever goes into a tournament not preparing to win it," she said. "So that's what I'm looking to go out and do tomorrow, that's the goal, but it's also going to be my last round and I'm just really happy to get to share it with my teammates."

Black Hills State finished the tournament with a team score of 1,082 to finish in 25th place. South Dakota Mines scored a 1,295 for 28th knowing they will be back next season for another try.