YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women’s golf team has signed three recruits to help remain at the top of the Mid-American Conference for years to come. Corey Crossan (London, Ontario-Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School), Kari Hogeback (Hamilton, Ohio-Lakota West High School) and Usanee (Nat) Laopattananont (Bangplee, Thailand-Thai Christian School) have signed National Letters of intent to play for head coach Sandy Wagner for the 2010-11 season.
"I am very excited about this recruiting class" Wagner said. "Kari, Corey and Nat all have multi-sport backgrounds and the athleticism on this team is outstanding. The group of athletes assembled will help keep our program moving forward and help us reach the high goals this program continues to set. As a coach, you look for players who want to succeed in the classroom, on the golf course and learn valuable life lessons while here at Eastern Michigan. We believe we have a great product in EMU and a group of young ladies that all believe in the program and want to strive for success. I am very excited for the future of our program and the direction it continues to move in!"
Crossan is a member of the Ontario High Performance Golf Team. In 2008 and 2009, she was named the Female Athlete of the Year at Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School, where she also played volleyball, hockey, track and field, and basketball. The London, Ontario native plans on majoring in exercise science.
Hogeback was also named Female Athlete of the Year in 2007 at Colerain High School, where she also was a member of the softball and basketball teams. Hogeback was selected to first team all state in 2006 and second team all state in 2008. Her team finished second in the State High School Championships in 2009. The Hamilton, Ohio native won the Regional Championship in 2009 after posting a 73. Her personal-best score is a 69, and she holds an 18-hole scoring average of 76.
Laopattananont is one of the top ranked junior players in Thailand. She has had a very successful junior career competing for her country, where she has a TGA handicap of +0.8. In 2008, she won the Aaron Baddeley Thailand Junior Championship. Laopattananont was also ranked fourth in the Sports Authority of Thailand in 2008. The Bangplee, Thailand native carded a career low round is 69 and is just as solid in the classroom holding down a 3.99 GPA.
The 2010-11 recruits will join an EMU squad that finished a successful fall season with a third place showing at the Ross Resorts Invitational and are looking forward to continue that success to the spring season. The Eagles return to action Feb. 14-16, 2010, at the Qdoba Collegiate Invitational in Miami, Fla.