RAPID CITY, S.D. - Sydney Cox and Ashley Sholer of Oklahoma City University jumped up to the top two individual spots in the NAIA women's golf championships Thursday at Meadowbrook Golf Course.

Cox held a three-stroke advantage over Sholer for the individual lead in the tournament with 18 holes to go. The four-time defending NAIA champion Stars have built a 24-stroke lead in their pursuit of a fifth national title.

OCU aims to capture its fifth consecutive national championship when the final round happens 9 a.m. Friday. Only Methodist (S.C.) has won that many women's golf crowns in a row in the nation - Methodist has the lead through two rounds of the NCAA Division III championships striving for its 10th national title in a row.

The Stars have recorded a 302-311-302-915 on the par-72, 6,000-yard course. OCU overcame a five-stroke deficit after the first day by posting the low rounds each of the past two days. Third-ranked Bethel (Ind.) stands in second with a 303-330-306-939, and fifth-ranked Embry-Riddle (Fla.) had a 315-320-307-942 to be third.

Cox, a senior from Edmond, Okla., has fired a 77-73-73-223. Cox overtook California Baptist's Adriana Niclotti, who held the lead for the first 36 holes. Niclotti slipped to fifth with a 71-78-81-230.

Sholer, a senior from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, has posted a 76-77-73-226. Sholer finds herself in the running for her second NAIA individual national championship - Sholer finished tied for third place as a junior and won the individual national title as a freshman. She could become the first to ever take NAIA medalist honors twice.

"Sydney has been playing flawless golf, and Ashley played a very steady round today," OCU coach M.J. Desbiens said. "What a great day for the Stars. I am mostly proud of everybody for fighting for every single shot out there. I'm looking forward to a great finish tomorrow. It should be exciting."

Christina Cung of OCU has shot 73-81-78-232 to be in a tie for seventh place. Cung, a senior from Fort Worth, Texas, has been a part of OCU's past four national title squads. She is aiming to become the first to be on five NAIA women's golf championship teams.

Morgan Gay and Laura Jones of the Stars were tied for 15th place. Gay had a 77-81-78-236, while Jones shot 76-80-80-236.

Charlotte Guilleux of Wayland Baptist will also figure in the race for the individual national championship. Guilleux has carded 74-79-76-229 to be in third place.

Lubbock Christian had a 316-346-325-987 as Kelly Rainbolt recorded a 75-89-76-240. Southern Nazarene shot 333-333-338-1,004 with Andrea Rojas' 81-83-79-243 pacing the Storm.