Hailey Katona (left) and Abby Newton (right) signed with the Eagles Wednesday.
Women’s Golf Inks Two
11/13/2019 3:00:00 PM | Women's Golf
Hailey Katona and Abby Newton will join the Eagle roster next season.
STATESBORO – Georgia Southern women's golf coach Emily Kuhfeld announced today that Hailey Katona (Tilbury, Ontartio, Canada/Tilbury District High School) and Abby Newton (Statesboro, Ga./Bulloch Academy) have signed National Letters of Intent to play for the Eagles, beginning in the 2020-21 season.
Hailey Katona
Represented Team Ontario from 2016-2019
Helped Team Ontario win the 2019 Can-Am Matches
T21 Canadian Junior Girls Championships
10th Golf Ontario Junior Girls Spring Classic
11th Golf Ontario Junior Girls Championship
6th at AJGA Wise Junior
T8 at AJGA Dana Inc. Junior Open
T15 at Ontario Women's Am & Mid-Am Championship
T28 at Women's Porter Cup
High school tournament wins:
LKSSAA (Lambton Kent): 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
SWOSSAA (Southwestern Ontario): 2016, 2018
OFSAA (All Ontario): 2018
Kuhfeld on Katona: "Hailey has been verbally committed to us for a while, so I am so excited we are finally able to announce that Hailey Katona is an Eagle! From day one of getting to know her, it was clear I was speaking with someone who 'gets it.' Hailey loves to compete and really understands that it is the small improvements made daily that add up to the big picture of her goals and dreams. She is an extremely hard worker on the course and gets it done as well in the classroom. She is a great fit at Georgia Southern for many reasons - she embodies the blue-collar work ethic and competitiveness we so value, as well as having a sweet and kind personality that will fit in with our team. Hailey will be a key piece of the puzzle for us, and we can't wait to get her here on campus and begin!"
Abby Newton
Won Southeastern Junior Golf Association 2019 TPC Sawgrass Classic
Finished second in Georgia State Golf Association 2019 Junior Tour Championship
Finished first in four Georgia State Golf Assoc. Junior events and placed in the top-5 in four additional events.
2019 Low Medalist GISA State Tournament as a Junior
Two top-3 finishes in Georgia Junior PGA Tour events
Posted another top-3 finish along with the win at TPC Sawgrass on the SJGT Tour
Two-time All-County Champion
Also plays basketball and softball at Bulloch Academy
Named all-region in softball
Three-time all-region and 2019 all-state selection in basketball and scored her 1,000th career point as a junior
Both parents, Laura and Dewey Newton, are Georgia Southern graduates
Kuhfeld on Newton: "We have heard about Abby for a while around town - her athletic and academic abilities proceed her - and were excited to spend some time with her in getting to know her and seeing how she would fit in on the team. The fit was natural and instantaneous. She is an incredible athlete and student, and we are ready to begin coaching Abby because we believe she has unlimited potential. Her personality, work ethic and competitive drive are a perfect fit here at Southern and we are all very excited that Abby is joining us!"
Georgia Southern posted three top-10 finishes in the fall and opens the spring portion of the season at the Amelia Island Collegiate Feb. 18-19.
Hailey Katona
Represented Team Ontario from 2016-2019
Helped Team Ontario win the 2019 Can-Am Matches
T21 Canadian Junior Girls Championships
10th Golf Ontario Junior Girls Spring Classic
11th Golf Ontario Junior Girls Championship
6th at AJGA Wise Junior
T8 at AJGA Dana Inc. Junior Open
T15 at Ontario Women's Am & Mid-Am Championship
T28 at Women's Porter Cup
High school tournament wins:
LKSSAA (Lambton Kent): 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
SWOSSAA (Southwestern Ontario): 2016, 2018
OFSAA (All Ontario): 2018
Kuhfeld on Katona: "Hailey has been verbally committed to us for a while, so I am so excited we are finally able to announce that Hailey Katona is an Eagle! From day one of getting to know her, it was clear I was speaking with someone who 'gets it.' Hailey loves to compete and really understands that it is the small improvements made daily that add up to the big picture of her goals and dreams. She is an extremely hard worker on the course and gets it done as well in the classroom. She is a great fit at Georgia Southern for many reasons - she embodies the blue-collar work ethic and competitiveness we so value, as well as having a sweet and kind personality that will fit in with our team. Hailey will be a key piece of the puzzle for us, and we can't wait to get her here on campus and begin!"
Abby Newton
Won Southeastern Junior Golf Association 2019 TPC Sawgrass Classic
Finished second in Georgia State Golf Association 2019 Junior Tour Championship
Finished first in four Georgia State Golf Assoc. Junior events and placed in the top-5 in four additional events.
2019 Low Medalist GISA State Tournament as a Junior
Two top-3 finishes in Georgia Junior PGA Tour events
Posted another top-3 finish along with the win at TPC Sawgrass on the SJGT Tour
Two-time All-County Champion
Also plays basketball and softball at Bulloch Academy
Named all-region in softball
Three-time all-region and 2019 all-state selection in basketball and scored her 1,000th career point as a junior
Both parents, Laura and Dewey Newton, are Georgia Southern graduates
Kuhfeld on Newton: "We have heard about Abby for a while around town - her athletic and academic abilities proceed her - and were excited to spend some time with her in getting to know her and seeing how she would fit in on the team. The fit was natural and instantaneous. She is an incredible athlete and student, and we are ready to begin coaching Abby because we believe she has unlimited potential. Her personality, work ethic and competitive drive are a perfect fit here at Southern and we are all very excited that Abby is joining us!"
Georgia Southern posted three top-10 finishes in the fall and opens the spring portion of the season at the Amelia Island Collegiate Feb. 18-19.
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