Marshall University Athletics
Knight Rowsey Announces Incoming Women's Golf Class
4/11/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
April 11, 2007
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall University women's golf coach Meredith Knight Rowsey announced today the signing of four student-athletes to a National Letter of Intent along with a transfer that will compete for the Thundering Herd beginning next fall.
Rachel Halloran will make the furthermost move from hometown to college locale, coming to Huntington via Leawood, Kan. Halloran placed second in the Kansas state championships as a senior after a seventh-place finish in the 2005 tournament and won the last two Kansas High School Regional titles. She was twice named All-Sun Country Player of the Year and was an All-Metro First Team honoree (2005-06) along with four All-Sun First Team selections at Blue Valley North HS.
"I believe Rachel will step right into the lineup as a freshman (in the fall) and play a key role in the improvement and success of our team," Knight Rowsey said. "She has a hunger to be No. 1 as well as the talent to go with it."
Halloran placed in the top-5 in 11-of-14 events she participated in during her junior and senior seasons with four victories.
Molly Ginger, a Centerville, Ohio, native, is a three-time state qualifier in the Buckeye State. In her senior campaign at Centerville HS, Ginger posted first place finishes at the Greater Western Ohio Conference tournament and the Ohio Southwest Sectionals.
"Molly will be a great addition to our program," Knight Rowsey said. "She is a dedicated athlete with an intense work ethic."
Ginger, a 3.9 GPA student, closed her high school career by averaging 77.8 strokes per round through her last five events, including the 2006 Ohio state tournament where she placed 17th.
Andrea Grier will transfer to Marshall after a two-year stint at Pfeiffer (N.C.) University, where the Falcons were ranked as high as 14th in the national Division II poll last season. The Hagerstown, Md., native was a member of the 2005-06 Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference championship team at Pfeiffer, placing in the top-25 in seven of 10 tournaments that season with a pair of top-5 finishes.
"Andrea will bring experience, along with talent and consistency, that will help her make an immediate impact at Marshall," Knight Rowsey said.
Grier comes from an extensive golf background. Her father is a PGA pro in Hagerstown and her older sister enjoyed a golf career at Conference USA rival UCF.
In her current season at Pfeiffer, Grier placed in the top-25 of every event, with her best finish coming at the Lady Falcon Invitational (11th). She also enjoyed success on the junior summer circuit, winning the Tri-State Jr. Golf Championship with a round of 70 - one of two wins in summer of 2005 - on the way to being named the Mid-Atlantic Section Titliest Jr. Tour standout.
Kristina Garrett from Chapmanville, W.Va., is the lone Mountain State signee this period. The 2006 Logan Country Club Ladies' Championship winner only started playing golf when she joined the Chapmanville HS boy's team as a sophomore. She opened the 2006 West Virginia Women's Amateur with a 79 and finished the tournament in the top-25.
"Kristina has only been playing golf for a few years but definitely has the athleticism, drive and passion to become an all star," Knight Rowsey said. "She has a great attitude and is the kind of athlete any coach would be thrilled to have."
Garrett, who won the Class B driving contest at the W.Va. Women's Amateur, was a member of the 2004 West Virginia AA state championship softball team and served as team captain of the basketball team.
Michelle Sabo, out of Columbus, Ohio, captured four individual medalist honors and eight runner-up finishes as a senior last season at Worthington Kilbourne HS. She was named a first team All-Ohio Capital Conference and All-Central Ohio District selection in 2006.
"Michelle has a wonderful personality and work ethic that I believe will help her flourish as a college student-athlete," Knight Rowsey. "I am thrilled that Michelle chose Marshall and look forward to seeing what her future accomplishments will be."
Sabo collected the 2005 and 2006 Scholar-Athlete Award at Worthington Kilbourne HS.
The five-woman incoming class, the largest since the women's golf program at Marshall was re-launched in 2002, will help alleviate the loss of four Herd seniors.
"I am delighted to announce such a talented and well-rounded group of incoming student-athletes," Knight Rowsey said. "I feel that there is a certain level of maturity that is rare for this large of a recruiting class which should allow for an easy transition to the college game."
