It started with an email.
That's how women's golf star
Erin Ingram's trek to IUPUI began.
An innocuous email from Head Golf Coach
John Andrews to a then high school prospect in nearby Richmond, Ind.. It was the usual introductory email from a college coach to a sought after recruit, inviting her to come on a visit.
Erin was thrilled to receive interest from the Indianapolis-based school, but her dad?
He was a skeptic. He wanted his daughter to keep her eyes – and options – open.
A slightly miffed Erin hopped in her car and opted to make the 70 mile drive to Indianapolis by herself, leaving her parents behind, while she toured campus and met with Andrews and current members of the team. That trip confirmed what Erin already knew – she wanted to be a Jaguar.
"I knew all along IUPUI was a perfect fit for me. From the time Coach Andrews emailed me, I knew it," said Ingram, who's set to enter her senior season in 2016-17. "I'm glad I stuck to my guns.
"IUPUI offered everything I wanted from the golf aspect and the opportunity to make an impact right away and the community aspects that come from being in downtown Indianapolis. Plus, I was really excited about the academic opportunities that exist at IUPUI. I really couldn't ask for anything more."
Since coming to IUPUI in 2013, she's become one of the most decorated and determined student-athletes in program history. She recently added some new hardware to her collection, becoming the first IUPUI women's golfer to be awarded the department's Michael A. Carroll Scholarship for the 2016-17 season.
The scholarship is given annually to a to-be senior based on athletic success, academic prowess and a continued commitment to the community. It was presented for the first time in 1996 and established in memory of Carroll, founder and longtime president of the Jaguars (formerly Metros) Athletics Club.
"To get the scholarship means a lot to me," Ingram said. "It means that I'm part of something special and I think it indicates how much I love what I do.
"I've set goals and achieved most of them. This is kind of a nice way to cap my junior year."
"It's a huge honor for Erin," Andrews said. "I knew she was a really good player in high school - that was never a question. She's continued to work on her game and become an even better player because she's a tireless worker. She continues to work at it, but that's how she's wired."
The work has clearly paid off, both in the classroom and on the golf course.
Academically, she's maintained a 3.8 grade point average while majoring in Exercise Science/Pre-Occupational Therapy. She was chosen among IUPUI's Top 100 students this past spring and is a two-time Women's Golf Coaches Association Scholar All-American – an award she'll likely earn again this season.
Her impact in the community has been similarly impressive as she's assisted at the Chase Near Eastside Legacy Center and assisted IPS students in training for a 5K race. She's also volunteered with the First Tee Program in Richmond to help promote the sport and engage a younger audience. She's since worked with the First Tee Program in Indianapolis as well as she continues to become more entrenched in Central Indiana.
On the course, she's played 73 career rounds, tying her for seventh on the program's all-time list. Included in those 73 rounds are three trips to The Summit League Championships. Each season, she's dramatically dropped her stroke average, posting a 78.25 mark this past year to rank sixth on IUPUI's all-time list. She helped the Jaguars win the 2016 Saluki Invitational and claimed co-medalist honors at the Wooster Hilton Head Collegiate.
Ingram was rarely the program's low scorer this past season, often trailing teammates Aneta Abrahamova or MeKenzie Hilsmeyer for that spot. However, Ingram relishes the opportunity to compete and understands that the friendly competition betters the team. She also relishes the role of helping bridge the gap from past star studded teams to the ever-growing aspirations of the program.
"My freshman year, we had Ana Fernandez de Mesa and Olivia (Kuss) as our seniors and you couldn't have asked for a better class. I just tried to treat my freshman year like a sponge and learn as much as I could," Ingram said.
Although disappointed in her overall play in her first season, Ingram's trial-by-fire has resulted in a continual ascent in the program.
"I want us to be successful as a team more than I want to be successful as an individual," Ingram said. "It's exciting when we bring in such talented players and continue to get better as a team."
And the father who was originally skeptical of the prospects of his daughter being a Jaguar?
He can be seen at virtually every IUPUI tournament, tracking his daughter and her teammates.
"I attribute the majority of my game to my dad. He's always believed in me, more than I believe in myself. He's my biggest supporter, my toughest competitor and the most honest critic. I wouldn't be here receiving this award without him."
The 2016 Michael A. Carroll Golf Outing will be held at Maple Creek Golf Course on Monday, May 23. To be part of this year's event, please contact John Rasmussen at jrrasmus@iupui.edu.
