Indiana University Athletics
Two To Join Hoosier Golf Program
11/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Nov. 20, 2006
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Lauren Harling (Laurinburg, N.C./N.C. State) and Emily Johnson (Winona Lake, Ind./Warsaw) will join the Indiana women's golf program in the spring of 2007. Head coach Clint Wallman believes that these are two players that can have an immediate impact on the Hoosier lineup.
"I'm very excited that Lauren and Emily will be joining Hoosier golf in the spring," Wallman said. "Both of them bring a lot of enthusiasm and a really good work ethic that can't do anything but help us. They are both very good players with good experience."
Harling will join the IU team after spending the past two years at North Carolina State University. She played in eight tournaments during her time with the Wolfpack, which was highlighted by tie for 35th at the NCAA East Regional Championship in 2005. Harling also tied for 31st at the Papa John's Collegiate to open the 2005-06 season, a tournament in which the Wolfpack captured the team title.
A native of Laurinburg, N.C., Harling placed 16th at the 2005 North Carolina Women's State Amateur after taking 15th the previous year. She was also a three-time All Mid-Southeastern Conference selection while at Scotland High School. A three-time team Most Valuable Player, Harling earned Charlotte Observer All-Observer Team honors twice during her career and was also a 2002 Nike All-American. During her junior career, Harling placed in the top-10 at numerous tournaments throughout both North Carolina and South Carolina.
"Lauren had a very solid career [at N.C. State], highlighted by her finish in the NCAA regionals," Wallman said. "I see her really potentially stepping into the lineup right out of the gate. She brings experience in college golf, which will be very helpful, especially in our lineup, which is a little on the younger side."
Johnson, who is coming to Indiana from Warsaw High School in Winona Lake, Ind., brings a tremendous amount of national and state experience to the Hoosier lineup. She is a two-time Indiana state champion, having captured the title in 2003 during her freshman season and this fall as a senior. With her title as a freshman, she became the first freshman in state history to capture the women's golf championship, and she is also one of just seven players to have ever repeated as state champion.
In addition to her state titles, Johnson has seen great success on the national scene during her junior career. Currently ranked No. 35 in the nation in the class of 2007 by GolfWeek, she has placed in the top-10 in numerous national American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) tournaments. In addition to that experience, Johnson is also a two-time U.S. Junior Girl's qualifier in 2004 and 2006 and also qualified for the 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur. Although she did not advance past stroke play in 2004, she used that experience to her advantage in 2006, as she captured her sectional with a 71 at Edgewood Country Club in Commerce Township, Mich. Johnson tied for 40th during the stroke play portion of the 2006 U.S. Junior Girls to advance to match play, where she fell to Kristie Smith of Australia in the first round, 4 and 2. She also captured her sectional to qualify for the U.S. Women's Amateur, this time carding a 73 at Cincinnati Country Club. Competing against some of the talented amateurs in the world, Johnson failed to qualify for match play after turning in a total of 160 (81-79) during stroke play.
"Emily is probably one of the most experienced freshmen to come to IU," Wallman said. "She had a great summer last year at the U.S. Junior Girls and the U.S. Amateur, and she is a two-time state champion. She is highly ranked and is a very, very accomplished player. Emily is also a driven, intense competitor and wants to have a successful college career. She has a huge competitive spirit, and that will be good for us."
