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3 UA women photographed in Playboy

College students from as far as the East Coast sent UA marketing senior Lacey Ballantyne e-mail messages last week complimenting her body.

"I thought it was nice for them to go out of their way," she said.

Ballantyne was photographed topless, along with two other University of Arizona women, and appears in the October issue of Playboy Magazine that hit newsstands yesterday.

The "Girls of the Pac-10" edition features 12 pages of 47 college women wearing nothing but a smile. About 100 to 150 women from each university tried out, a representative said.

UA journalism senior Summer Morgan said the experience was exciting and she met interesting people and made friends.

"I feel honored that Playboy would choose me to represent the U of A," Morgan said.

UA graduate Lori Ligouri was also pictured in the issue but could not be reached for comment.

Ballantyne said appearing topless to the public doesn't bother her.

"I'm pretty comfortable with it," she said.

Morgan said she wouldn't pose for other magazines that feature nude women.

"I'm proud to be chosen by Playboy, because Playboy is a very discriminating magazine," she said.

But instead of focusing on the issue, Morgan said she is more concerned with graduating in May and building her resume.

"I definitely want to start my life in the professional world," she said. "My number one concern is graduation."

Ballantyne said she would be interested in working for Playboy again - even just for their corporate office - but doesn't want to create a modeling career from the pictures.

She said her experience was fun, but she hoped more pictures of her would have been published.

"I would still do it again," she said. "I don't have any regrets about it."

Leading the numbers for the "Girls of the Pac-10," was the University of California at Berkeley, with 10 women and the University of Oregon with six. Arizona State University and the University of California at Los Angeles each had six.

Playboy publicist Karen Ring said the Pac-10 universities had different numbers of women featured because the photos had to fit the pages' layout.

"It doesn't mean we found better-looking women at different schools," Ring said. "It doesn't mean that at all."

She said Playboy searches for women who are physically fit, in good shape, well-proportioned, and who have a pretty face and interesting hobbies.

"Everyone who comes to see us is that," Ring said. "It really is a tough decision."

The October issue marks the third time since 1978 that Playboy has published a "Girls of the Pac-10" edition. Ring said readers originally suggested the idea.

Ring said the women photographed get paid more than $100 but less than $1,000. Playboy negotiates payment separately with each woman, she said.

They will also be paid for autograph sessions on Sept. 14 and 15. The UA students will autograph copies of the issue at the 7 Eleven Food Store, 1001 E. Speedway Blvd., from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at Maloney's On Fourth, 213 N. Fourth Ave.

The women will sign autographs again on Sept. 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at University Drug Co., 943 E. University Blvd.