LOXLEY, Ala. — Mariah Stackhouse of Riverdale, Ga., will return to Loxley to defend her title at the AJGA Junior at Steelwood presented by AT&T, June 6-9. Six other top-10 finishers from 2010 will join the 96-player field which features juniors from 14 states and eight countries, including 19 players from Alabama.

Ranked No. 24 in the Polo Golf Rankings, Stackhouse enters the event as the highest-ranked girl in the field. After her victory in 2010, she went on to record three additional top-10 finishes in national junior golf events. The two-time Rolex Junior All-American and 2011 AJGA Board of Directors Player Representative will be looking for her second win in 2011, her first coming at the Exide Technologies Junior Open in April.

Michelle Butler of Dunedin, Fla., will return to Steelwood Country Club after falling to Stackhouse in a sudden-death playoff. The second-place showing was one of three top-10s Butler recorded in 2010. She has also signed a National Letter of Intent with the University of Missouri.

Local players Gabi Oubre of Mobile and Caroline Beebe of Daphne will look to build on top-10 finishes in last year’s event.

Leading the charge in the Boys Division is Robby Shelton, IV of Wilmer, who tied for second behind Jimmy Beck in 2010. The 19th-ranked junior in the Polo Golf Rankings finished two strokes off the lead in his first AJGA event. Shelton also advanced to the semifinals at the U.S. Junior Amateur last July.

Mason Seaborn of Montrose, who has signed a National Letter of Intent with the University of Louisiana-Monroe, tied with Shelton in 2010 and will return in 2011.

Julian Lerda of Buenos Aires, Argentina is an international player looking to build upon success in 2011. Lerda began the year with a second-place finish at the Puerto Rico Junior Open and captured his first AJGA victory at the AJGA Junior at Diablo Grande this past April.

The tournament practice round will be a 2 p.m. shotgun start on Monday. Tournament play will begin Tuesday with first- through final-round tee times running from 7 a.m.-12:10 p.m. off the No. 1 tee at Steelwood Country Club. An awards ceremony will immediately follow the conclusion of Thursday’s final round. Spectators are welcome and admission is free of charge. A portion of the tournament field will be filled via a TaylorMade-adidas Golf Qualifier on Sunday at TimberCreek Golf Club.