Women’s Golf Announces Inaugural Signing Class
11/13/2014 2:52:00 PM | Women's Golf
STATESBORO, Ga. – Six student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to play women's golf at Georgia Southern and will form the initial roster for the first women's golf team at Georgia Southern, coach Emily Kuhfeld announced today. The Eagles will begin competition in the 2015-16 season.
Iben Thaysen Sass Hvass (Denmark/Western Texas College) and Taylor Thompson (Baton Rouge, La./Centenary College) will be transferring in to begin their junior seasons with the Eagles, while Ansley Bowman (St. Augustine, Fla./Bartram Trail), Ariana Macioce (Phoenix, Ariz./Xavier College Prep), Yeji Shin (Norwood, N.J./Old Tappan) and Annie Swords (Newnan, Ga./Heritage School) will be the Eagles' first freshman class.
"This initial class is everything that I had hoped for," said Kuhfeld. "It has been an enjoyable recruiting process, getting to know these young women and their families. The qualities I was looking for to start the culture of this program are embodied by these six young women - a dedication to their grades and golf games, kind hearts, self-discipline to do the right thing and a strong desire to be part of a competitive, positive and fun team. I am counting down the 275 days until we have them all together, representing Georgia Southern, as our university's very first women's golf team."
Each signee will be highlighted in depth on GSEagles.com over the next month and a half, but below is a brief bio on each of the new Eagles.
Iben Thaysen Sass Hvass: Originally from Denmark, Hvass has been a driving force for the Western Texas College team (ranked 5th in Golfstat for NJCAA) for the past two years. She has finished in the top-5 eight times in her two seasons at WTC. This past summer, Hvass won the Kronborg Masters Tournament and finished runner-up in the Haderslev Open.
Taylor Thompson: An AJGA Presidential Leadership Award Finalist, runner-up at the 2013 LHSAA DI State Girl's Golf Tournament and Exxon Mobil Student-Athlete Award winner, Thompson also brings four top-15 finishes in college events with her as she begins her junior year at Georgia Southern next fall.
Ansley Bowman: Bowman has had three top-10 finishes in the Florida High School State Championships, as well as being named a three time first-team All-First Coast Team by the Florida Times Union. Outside of high school golf, Bowman has had four top-5 finishes in Florida Junior Tour events and practices and plays at the beautiful TPC Sawgrass Golf Club. Her mother is a proud alumna of Georgia Southern.
Ariana Macioce: For the past four years, Macioce has been a key member of the Xavier College Preparatory golf team, one of the best high school golf programs in the country. She has also enjoyed much success outside of her high school season as an 8-time winner on the Junior Golf Association of Arizona Tour as well as winning the Phoenix City Junior Championship and competing in the Jr. World Championships and the Trusted Choice Big I Junior Classic.
Yeji Shin: Shin has exploded on the national amateur golf scene in the last several years with two top-5 finishes in AJGA events, winning the NJPGA Championships as well as qualifying for the 2014 USGA U.S. Women's Public Links Championship, the 2014 USGA U.S. Girl's Junior Championship and the 2015 USGA Women's Four-Ball Championships.
Annie Swords: Swords brings prestigious amateur golf experience with her to Georgia Southern, highlighted by qualifying for the 2011, 2013 and 2014 USGA U.S. Girl's Junior as well as the 2014 USGA U.S. Women's Amateur Championship. She also won the Big I Choice Qualifier and qualified for the Junior PGA Championship. Swords will join the squad in January of 2015 to have a semester at Georgia Southern getting acclimated to college classes and practicing at the Eagles' first-class facilities.
Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics, twitter.com/GSAthletics, iOS app Georgia Southern Eagles and Android app Eagles GATA. Tickets to Georgia Southern athletics events can be purchased by calling 1-800-GSU-WINS or by visiting GSEagles.com and clicking on the tickets link in the top menu.
Iben Thaysen Sass Hvass (Denmark/Western Texas College) and Taylor Thompson (Baton Rouge, La./Centenary College) will be transferring in to begin their junior seasons with the Eagles, while Ansley Bowman (St. Augustine, Fla./Bartram Trail), Ariana Macioce (Phoenix, Ariz./Xavier College Prep), Yeji Shin (Norwood, N.J./Old Tappan) and Annie Swords (Newnan, Ga./Heritage School) will be the Eagles' first freshman class.
"This initial class is everything that I had hoped for," said Kuhfeld. "It has been an enjoyable recruiting process, getting to know these young women and their families. The qualities I was looking for to start the culture of this program are embodied by these six young women - a dedication to their grades and golf games, kind hearts, self-discipline to do the right thing and a strong desire to be part of a competitive, positive and fun team. I am counting down the 275 days until we have them all together, representing Georgia Southern, as our university's very first women's golf team."
Each signee will be highlighted in depth on GSEagles.com over the next month and a half, but below is a brief bio on each of the new Eagles.
Iben Thaysen Sass Hvass: Originally from Denmark, Hvass has been a driving force for the Western Texas College team (ranked 5th in Golfstat for NJCAA) for the past two years. She has finished in the top-5 eight times in her two seasons at WTC. This past summer, Hvass won the Kronborg Masters Tournament and finished runner-up in the Haderslev Open.
Taylor Thompson: An AJGA Presidential Leadership Award Finalist, runner-up at the 2013 LHSAA DI State Girl's Golf Tournament and Exxon Mobil Student-Athlete Award winner, Thompson also brings four top-15 finishes in college events with her as she begins her junior year at Georgia Southern next fall.
Ansley Bowman: Bowman has had three top-10 finishes in the Florida High School State Championships, as well as being named a three time first-team All-First Coast Team by the Florida Times Union. Outside of high school golf, Bowman has had four top-5 finishes in Florida Junior Tour events and practices and plays at the beautiful TPC Sawgrass Golf Club. Her mother is a proud alumna of Georgia Southern.
Ariana Macioce: For the past four years, Macioce has been a key member of the Xavier College Preparatory golf team, one of the best high school golf programs in the country. She has also enjoyed much success outside of her high school season as an 8-time winner on the Junior Golf Association of Arizona Tour as well as winning the Phoenix City Junior Championship and competing in the Jr. World Championships and the Trusted Choice Big I Junior Classic.
Yeji Shin: Shin has exploded on the national amateur golf scene in the last several years with two top-5 finishes in AJGA events, winning the NJPGA Championships as well as qualifying for the 2014 USGA U.S. Women's Public Links Championship, the 2014 USGA U.S. Girl's Junior Championship and the 2015 USGA Women's Four-Ball Championships.
Annie Swords: Swords brings prestigious amateur golf experience with her to Georgia Southern, highlighted by qualifying for the 2011, 2013 and 2014 USGA U.S. Girl's Junior as well as the 2014 USGA U.S. Women's Amateur Championship. She also won the Big I Choice Qualifier and qualified for the Junior PGA Championship. Swords will join the squad in January of 2015 to have a semester at Georgia Southern getting acclimated to college classes and practicing at the Eagles' first-class facilities.
Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics, twitter.com/GSAthletics, iOS app Georgia Southern Eagles and Android app Eagles GATA. Tickets to Georgia Southern athletics events can be purchased by calling 1-800-GSU-WINS or by visiting GSEagles.com and clicking on the tickets link in the top menu.
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