Hello Illini Nation!

Time seems like it has flown by since we received the news that our 2019-2020 campaign was halted. During the initial weeks following the cancellation of the season, we all experienced a wide range of emotions. This was definitely not how we thought the season was going to come to an end, and it was not how I had planned for my collegiate career to close. Speculations were immediately thrown into the air about the NCAA granting another year of eligibility to athletes, but nothing was concrete until around two weeks after I had returned home to Kentucky.

Predictably, those two weeks were filled with a lot of uncertainty, but the one thing that I was certain about was the fact that I was not ready to say goodbye to my teammates and the University of Illinois. This University and everyone that I have been able to form relationships with over the past four years have played pivotal roles in who I am and what I have been able to/will do in the future. As soon as the decision was made to allow senior athletes to return, I jumped on the opportunity.

Words cannot do justice to the amount of gratitude that I have for the university's decision to grant another year of eligibility to those senior athletes who wish to compete another year as a Fighting Illini. This has given us a chance to close out our careers the way that we had envisioned.

I am beyond excited to be representing the Orange and Blue for another year with the best teammates, coaches, support staff, and community behind us. I speak for the entire team when I say that we are more motivated, ambitious, and excited than ever to get back on campus and start competing again.

While we wait patiently to continue our story, we have the time to reflect on what we have accomplished and what we want to accomplish. I have no doubt that this team can achieve anything we set our minds to, and I know the future is bright far beyond my years at Illinois. The legacy and culture that Illinois Women's Golf upholds will be the forefront of our success on and off the course.

I cannot wait to be back and representing the best university and family in the world. This place holds such a special place in my heart, and I am grateful to have one more year to make history with such inspirational and loving people.

Let's give this one last go around.

Stay safe and see you soon,

Tristyn Nowlin