As a Big Ten student-athlete, what were some of the life lessons you learned throughout your collegiate career?
"Organization and time management were key. I am also an excellent suitcase packer now! I can stuff a suitcase and have the clothes come out somewhat nice.
I think time management was the biggest though. Learning how to manage my time between golf, classes and studying while still maintaining a social life was always exciting."
Talk about the demands of balancing schoolwork with being a Big Ten student-athlete...
"You have to learn the way that is best for you and figure out how you need to study and learn. You have to always take your books with you, and you have to learn how to read in the van, the airport and on planes. You need to learn where you can study and take notes and do all of those things while maintaining a high grade point average."
How did competing in Big Ten athletics help you gain success in the classroom?
"Because of my desire to always compete, play well and succeed on the course, the determination to succeed in the classroom was also there. They go hand in hand...if your grades fall, then your abilities in your sport are going to be a little sluggish as well."
Looking back on your collegiate career, what are some of the things that you are most proud of?
"Winning the Big Ten title three years in a row, especially my senior year, was definitely the accomplishment I am most proud of. I also remember playing well and helping my team finish fifth at the NCAA Championships during my junior year. I finished fourth individually. The four years I spent under the tutelage of Sam Carmichael was invaluable. He was very organized and demanding, and it all helped prepare me for the LPGA and for life. I also earned the opportunity to travel to Japan on two occasions to represent the United States in the U.S. vs. Japan matches. The biggest highlight came after I graduated when I won the Marilynn Smith Award. She was one of the founders of the LPGA and they give the award for excellence in the classroom and on the golf course. I'm honored to have received it and was able to meet Marilynn Smith as well. It was like all the hard work in the classroom and on the golf course culminated when I received that prestigious award."
What advice would you give aspiring female student-athlete?
"Don't let anybody else put you down. If you have a dream, don't let people talk you out of it. Go for it and you can succeed! I competed in my first tournament when I was seven and someone asked me if I was going to be a professional golfer, and I said `well, yes I am'. I never turned back. In high school, my counselor would ask what I wanted to do and I would reply that I wanted to be a pro golfer. He would say `come on, what else?' I had that determination and that desire and I did what it took. I practiced and I worked hard; I tried to eat as healthy as I could, exercised, and tried to maintain a healthy lifestyle."
What does it mean for you to represent Indiana in the Big Ten's 25th Anniversary of Women's Championships campaign?
"It's outstanding and I am so honored. I could not believe it when the Big Ten contacted me for such an honor. I was speechless. It's an honor to have been selected, even though that sounds so cliché. I was so flabbergasted, I actually called one of my friends from college to ask if he had e-mailed me playing a trick on me. This is truly an amazing honor."
