INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI Athletics Department and head women’s golf coach John Andrews announced the additions of six student-athletes to compete in 2007-08. The incoming freshman class includes Courtney Buchanan, Kylie Cardwell , Lauran Reynolds and Katie Wenning.
Additionally, former Indiana University golfer Tara Boone and former IU runner Stephanie Greer signed Grant-in-Aids to compete for the Jaguars next season.
Greer will have three years of eligibility remaining, while Boone will have two.
The 5-foot-3 Boone played two seasons with the Hoosiers, posting a 79.73 scoring average over 22 career rounds. As a freshman, she played 16 rounds during the spring season, ranking fourth on the squad with a 79.38 scoring average. As a sophomore, Boone played six rounds during the fall and averaged 80.67. At the Big Ten Championships in 2006, she fired a career-best opening round 74 en route to a 226 and a 28th place finish.
While at Huntington North, Boone played at the No. 1 spot all four years and helped the Vikings to three sectional titles. Individually, she won sectional medalist honors three times and was a two-time All-State honoree. She was a four-time All-North Central Conference pick and was the conference medalist twice in her career. Overall, she won 13 events during her high school career. The Vikings qualified for the IHSAA State Championships her junior year and won two invitational titles her senior season.
“Tara brings a lot of experience to our program,” Andrews said. “She’s played at the Big Ten level and competed quite well. We will enjoy having her be a part of the program.”
Buchanan was a three-year letterwinner at Franklin, earning All-Conference honors twice. Individually, she qualified for regionals as a junior and senior, while also helping Franklin to the sectional crown her junior year. She won the Richmond event on the Mountain Dew Tour in the summer of 2005 and was named team captain her senior season. She had an 85.37 scoring average her senior season at Franklin.
“Courtney might be the most talented freshman we have coming in,” Andrews said. “She has the talent to play Division I golf. She’s really going to help our program.”
The 5-foot-4 Cardwell was a four-year letterwinner at Kokomo High School, helping the Wildkats to two IHSAA State Tournaments. The Kats finished eighth overall her senior season, while Cardwell tied for 35th individually. She was a three-time Team MVP, while also earning First Team All-North Central Conference honors her senior season. She received the team’s Mental Attitude Award her final three seasons and was also named an NCC Sportsmanship Student-Athlete. A member of the National Honor Society, Cardwell intends on majoring in chemisty at IUPUI.
“Kylie is a very confident player,” Andrews said. “She’s done nothing but improve over her high school career, and we expect that will continue.”
Greer, the 2005 Marion County Female Athlete of the Year while at Roncalli High School, has spent the past two seasons with the IU track and cross country teams. She specialized in distance events, running a 10:01.99 3000m on the indoor surface, while also posting a personal best 5:06 mile.
Greer helped Roncalli qualify for the IHSAA State Golf Tournament her junior and senior years, while also excelling in track and cross country. She finished seventh at the IHSAA State Cross Country Meet her senior year, while also placing in the top 20 at the Mideast Meet of Champions. On the track, she took ninth in the 3200m at the state meet in a time of 11:16.
She is the younger sister of former IUPUI men’s golfer, Michael Greer.
“Stephanie’s a competitor - period,” Andrews said. “I was intrigued by her competitive nature. Even though she hasn’t played competitive golf in two years, she will succeed, eventually. She’s going to help our program immediately. She’s going to be a little rusty, but we expect her to be in our top five.”
Reynolds had a highly successful four-year career at Greensburg High School, culminating in an Honorable Mention All-State honor from the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association. She helped the Lady Pirates to three appearances at the IHSAA State Championships, four Eastern Indiana Conference crowns and four sectional titles. She was named All-Eastern Indiana Conference her senior season, while Greensburg finished the season with a 10th place finish at the state meet.
“Lauran is a very intelligent individual, and works hard everyday,” Andrews said. “She comes from a solid program and brings a winning mentality to the table.”
Wenning teamed with Buchanan at Franklin Community High School, helping the squad to a 2005 sectional crown and 2004 county title. She too was a two-time regional qualifier on the golf course, and was a member of a swim team that won three conference crowns. Academically, she had a 3.4 grade point average and intends on majoring in nursing at IUPUI.
“Katie comes from a really golf oriented family,” Andrews said. “Her dad is a great golfer and her sister is an outstanding golfer. I’ve got no reason to believe that she won’t follow that pattern and be very good as well.
“This class as a whole will make this the best women’s golf team we’ve ever had. Tara and Stephanie are going to come in right away and compete for playing time from day one. I’m not positive the freshmen are going to step in right away, but in the long run, they’re all going to be playing competitive golf for us.”
Andrews’ loses just one senior off last year’s squad, which returns First Team All-Conference honoree Kellie Marshall and three-year letterwinner Kelli Holloway.
