CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Head coach Renee Slone and the Illinois Women's Golf program are excited to announce the addition of Tristyn Nowlin, who signed her National Letter of Intent to compete at the University of Illinois starting in the 2016-17 season. Nowlin will join an Illinois squad that isn't expected to graduate or lose anyone following this current season's action.
"We are thrilled to welcome Tristyn and her parents to the Fighting Illini family," shared coach Slone. "She enjoyed a highly successful summer and high school season culminating in earning Rolex Junior All-America Honorable Mention and Miss Kentucky Golf honors. She embraces the team aspect of golf and has a clear understanding of what it takes for a team to be successful with her team's success and state championship victory."
Nowlin hails from Richmond, Kentucky, and is the 2015 Miss Kentucky Golf honoree as well as a Rolex Junior All-America Honorable Mention honoree. The Madison Central High School graduate-to-be shot a five-under par mark of 67 in the final round of the 2015 Kentucky High School State Championship to help her team to its first-ever title, while also finishing second as an individual at the event. Nowlin lists her biggest thrill in sports so far to be the moment when she was walking up the 18th fairway at the KHSAA Girls Golf Championship and realizing that the team was leading the tournament.
After claiming the Region 7 Championship title in both 2014 and 2015, Nowlin was named First-Team All-State each season.
Ranked ninth in the class of 2016 by the Polo Golf Rankings (AJGA), Nowlin has four top-five finishes in 2015 alone at AJGA National events. The Illinois signee took home the title at the Owensboro Country Club-hosted event. At the AJGA Midwest Junior Players Championship held at the Mistwood Golf Course in Chicago, Nowlin added a second place finish to her resume, in addition to a third place finish at the AJGA Girls Championship at Furman Golf Club in Greenville, South Carolina, and took home fourth place from the AJGA Junior held at Old Silo Golf Course.
"Tristyn will transition extremely well into our team dynamic," stated Slone. "She is a person of great character and embraces the opportunity to improve herself as well as her teammates. Her diligent work ethic and determination are qualities that will enable her to be highly successful at the collegiate level. She is an exciting player who can reel off a string of birdies; in the summer of 2014 she made six straight birdies to post a 30 in an AJGA event! We look forward to assisting Tristyn to reach new heights as an Illini!"
The 2014 PGA Junior Series Player of the Year plans to major in kinesiology at the University of Illinois and is the daughter of Phil and Beth Nowlin.
