Photo by: Georgia Southern Athletics
Southern Signs Four For Class of 2026
11/13/2025 4:31:00 PM | Women's Golf
Strong class to join program next fall
STATESBORO - Georgia Southern head women's golf coach Mimi Burke has announced the signing of four athletes—Kathryn DeLoach, Lucy Grattan, Annie Jin and Lili Nelson—who will join the program next fall.
"This is a super exciting day to get our 2026 class signed," Burke said. "This is the largest class we've brought in during our tenure, and all four have shown great success on the course, in the classroom and are fantastic people. Keeping top-tier Georgia talent in Kathryn and Lili close to home was important, and bringing in players with great pedigree in Annie from Florida and Lucy from Ireland was a top priority, as well.
All four players' golf speaks for itself as Lili, Annie and Kathryn have all seen their rankings inside the top 75 or better in the 2026 class, accomplish multiple USGA Championship appearances along with state and national success. Lucy has been ascending in the Irish and European rankings and has recently competed at the LET level. This group collectively brings an extremely high level of experience on the biggest stages and is already putting in the work to bring a Sun Belt Championship back to Statesboro and get back to the NCAA Championship.
It's a great day for Georgia Southern women's Golf, and we're excited to get them on campus! Hail Southern!
Kathryn DeLoach
Athens, Ga.
Athens Academy
HIGH SCHOOL: Attends Athens Academy … Ranked 36th in her class by Junior Golf Scoreboard … Named first-team all-state by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2023, 2024 and 2025 … Oconee Enterprise Athlete of the Week in 2025 … Piedmont Next Up Sports Player of the Year in 2025 … Spartan of the Week in both 2024 and 2025 … 2025 Georgia PGA Junior Champion … 2025 Georgia Girls Junior Championship, where she tied for first … 2025 GSGA Girls Junior Player of the Year … Took 10th at the PGA Junior Championship … Women's Western Junior - Sweet Sixteen … 2022-2023 Math Department Award … 2022-2023 Humanities Department Award … 2023-2024 Humanities Department Award … AJGA Rolex Scholastic Honor Roll … A member of the National Honors Society and Spanish National Language Society … A member of the Honor Guard (top 10 in class).
PERSONAL: Born Kathryn MacGregor DeLoach on February 20 in Athens, GA … Daughter of Mary and Jeff DeLoach … Father played golf at Furman … Has an older brother, Will, who runs track and cross country at Washington & Lee University.
INTENDED MAJOR: Undecided
Lucy Grattan
Tralee, Kerry, Ireland
Mercy Mounthawk Secondary School
HIGH SCHOOL: Attend Mercy Mounthawk Secondary School … First All-Ireland U19 Champion … Munster Schools U19 Champion in 2024 … All-Ireland Schools U19 Champion in 2025 … Home club is Tralee Golf Club … Coach is Gavin Lunny … Munster West Junior Foursomes Champions in 2022 … Munster West Junior Cup Champions in 2022 … All-Ireland Semifinalists Junior Foursomes in 2022 … All-Ireland Finalists Junior Cup in 2022 … Munster West Senior Foursomes Champions in 2025 … All-Ireland Senior Foursomes Semifinalists in 2025 …The Munster U18 Girls Champion in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
PERSONAL: Born Lucy Grattan on August 14 in Tralee, Kerry, Ireland … Daughter of Suzanne and Domininck Grattan … Has two brothers, Roan and Ajay.
INTENDED MAJOR: Sports Medicine
Annie Jin
Bradenton, Fla.
Orion International Academy (CA)
HIGH SCHOOL: Attend Orion International Academy in Ontario, CA … Ranked 116th in her class by Junior Golf Scoreboard … Four-time FJT Tour Champion … 2024 Patty Berg Champion … 2024 USGA Girls' Junior Round of 64 … T18 at the 66th Florida Girls Junior Championship … T6 at the Amundi Evian Showcase … Champion of the 2024 54-hole Fort Meyers Junior Open.
PERSONAL: Born Annie Jin on January 13 in Beijing, China … Daughter of Lihong Li and Aijun Jin … Has one sibling, Iris.
INTENDED MAJOR: Sport Management
Lili Nelson
Greensboro, Ga.
Lake Oconee Academy
HIGH SCHOOL: Played for Coach Alan Dodds at Lake Oconee Academy … Ranked 106th in her class by Junior Golf Scoreboard … 2024 and 2025 GHSA A-D2 State Champion … Two-time GHSA A-D2 Girls Golf State Player of the Year (2023-24 and 2024-25) … School record for lowest two-day total at state (-7) … School record for lowest individual round (-5) … Two-time Positive Athlete Award by Positive Athlete Association.
PERSONAL: Born Lili Nelson on January 1 in Macon, GA … Daughter of Marnie and Randy Nelson … Mother played tennis at Ferris State … Has an older sister, Anna, and an older brother, Ty.
INTENDED MAJOR: Undecided
"This is a super exciting day to get our 2026 class signed," Burke said. "This is the largest class we've brought in during our tenure, and all four have shown great success on the course, in the classroom and are fantastic people. Keeping top-tier Georgia talent in Kathryn and Lili close to home was important, and bringing in players with great pedigree in Annie from Florida and Lucy from Ireland was a top priority, as well.
All four players' golf speaks for itself as Lili, Annie and Kathryn have all seen their rankings inside the top 75 or better in the 2026 class, accomplish multiple USGA Championship appearances along with state and national success. Lucy has been ascending in the Irish and European rankings and has recently competed at the LET level. This group collectively brings an extremely high level of experience on the biggest stages and is already putting in the work to bring a Sun Belt Championship back to Statesboro and get back to the NCAA Championship.
It's a great day for Georgia Southern women's Golf, and we're excited to get them on campus! Hail Southern!
Kathryn DeLoach
Athens, Ga.
Athens Academy
HIGH SCHOOL: Attends Athens Academy … Ranked 36th in her class by Junior Golf Scoreboard … Named first-team all-state by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2023, 2024 and 2025 … Oconee Enterprise Athlete of the Week in 2025 … Piedmont Next Up Sports Player of the Year in 2025 … Spartan of the Week in both 2024 and 2025 … 2025 Georgia PGA Junior Champion … 2025 Georgia Girls Junior Championship, where she tied for first … 2025 GSGA Girls Junior Player of the Year … Took 10th at the PGA Junior Championship … Women's Western Junior - Sweet Sixteen … 2022-2023 Math Department Award … 2022-2023 Humanities Department Award … 2023-2024 Humanities Department Award … AJGA Rolex Scholastic Honor Roll … A member of the National Honors Society and Spanish National Language Society … A member of the Honor Guard (top 10 in class).
PERSONAL: Born Kathryn MacGregor DeLoach on February 20 in Athens, GA … Daughter of Mary and Jeff DeLoach … Father played golf at Furman … Has an older brother, Will, who runs track and cross country at Washington & Lee University.
INTENDED MAJOR: Undecided
Lucy Grattan
Tralee, Kerry, Ireland
Mercy Mounthawk Secondary School
HIGH SCHOOL: Attend Mercy Mounthawk Secondary School … First All-Ireland U19 Champion … Munster Schools U19 Champion in 2024 … All-Ireland Schools U19 Champion in 2025 … Home club is Tralee Golf Club … Coach is Gavin Lunny … Munster West Junior Foursomes Champions in 2022 … Munster West Junior Cup Champions in 2022 … All-Ireland Semifinalists Junior Foursomes in 2022 … All-Ireland Finalists Junior Cup in 2022 … Munster West Senior Foursomes Champions in 2025 … All-Ireland Senior Foursomes Semifinalists in 2025 …The Munster U18 Girls Champion in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
PERSONAL: Born Lucy Grattan on August 14 in Tralee, Kerry, Ireland … Daughter of Suzanne and Domininck Grattan … Has two brothers, Roan and Ajay.
INTENDED MAJOR: Sports Medicine
Annie Jin
Bradenton, Fla.
Orion International Academy (CA)
HIGH SCHOOL: Attend Orion International Academy in Ontario, CA … Ranked 116th in her class by Junior Golf Scoreboard … Four-time FJT Tour Champion … 2024 Patty Berg Champion … 2024 USGA Girls' Junior Round of 64 … T18 at the 66th Florida Girls Junior Championship … T6 at the Amundi Evian Showcase … Champion of the 2024 54-hole Fort Meyers Junior Open.
PERSONAL: Born Annie Jin on January 13 in Beijing, China … Daughter of Lihong Li and Aijun Jin … Has one sibling, Iris.
INTENDED MAJOR: Sport Management
Lili Nelson
Greensboro, Ga.
Lake Oconee Academy
HIGH SCHOOL: Played for Coach Alan Dodds at Lake Oconee Academy … Ranked 106th in her class by Junior Golf Scoreboard … 2024 and 2025 GHSA A-D2 State Champion … Two-time GHSA A-D2 Girls Golf State Player of the Year (2023-24 and 2024-25) … School record for lowest two-day total at state (-7) … School record for lowest individual round (-5) … Two-time Positive Athlete Award by Positive Athlete Association.
PERSONAL: Born Lili Nelson on January 1 in Macon, GA … Daughter of Marnie and Randy Nelson … Mother played tennis at Ferris State … Has an older sister, Anna, and an older brother, Ty.
INTENDED MAJOR: Undecided
The GATA Zone - Tennis
Thursday, January 15
Georgia Southern vs. Appalachian State Highlights: JLab Birmingham Bowl (12/29/25)
Tuesday, December 30
Georgia Southern Football Media Availability (12/29/25)
Tuesday, December 30
Georgia Southern Football Media Availability (12/28/25)
Sunday, December 28
