TicketsOct. 17, 2005
by Elise Keeler, Sports Communications Student Assistant
Something special is going on with the UC women's golf team, and one of the biggest reasons is sophomore Hillery Wilson. She has talent, drive, and a love for the sport of golf. Hillery is in her second year at UC and is one of the top performers on the team.
She fell in love with the Bearcats before she was even swinging on the fairways. She left her home in Hudson, Ohio - about a four-hour drive from Cincinnati - because she liked her future teammates and Coach Janet Carl right off the bat.
Wilson played softball, volleyball, and golf in high school, but she now concentrates solely on golf. She hasn't lost that team feel though. The women's golf team competes as one in a golf tournament, but all the while they are competing individually. This is perfect for Wilson because of her competitive nature. In high school, she went to state and was named first team All-Ohio after finishing fourth. She kept the ball rolling after coming to UC. In her first year, she was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team, finished in the Top-25 in seven of nine tournaments, and led the team with a 78.3 average, which was the lowest by a Bearcat since 1995.
Wilson is a great example of a student-athlete. Her performance off the field is on the same level as her golf success. During her freshman year she was named to the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll and was a Topcat Scholar. She has adjusted very well to the changes of being a college student. Wilson is an accounting major in the College of Business. Most of her time is taken up by two things: homework and golf. The very little free time she has is devoted to perfecting her golf swing. The more she practices, the closer she will get to her goal of playing in the LPGA.
Not that she is complaining about practicing a lot because she loves being out on the range. She knows it will take a lot of practice to perfect her putts. As she says, "Drive for the show; putt for dough. Putting is the key and can be the deciding factor of who is the tournament winner."
Wilson and her fellow teammates have gotten off to a great start this season. The team placed second at the Bay Tree Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C., with Hillery placing in the top five. She had shared the lead through the first 36 holes, but she carded a final round of 75. Her final score was just three strokes off of the lead.
"Our golf team is privileged to play at some of the best locations," she says. Last year the team went to St. Croix and Arizona, and will compete in Miami to conclude their fall season. In the spring they look forward to facing BIG EAST schools for the first time.
Unfortunately for Bearcat fans, the golfers from UC only get to show off for the tri-state fans for one or two tournaments here in Cincinnati. During any tournament, Wilson has a small superstition; "I always have to be organized, keep a scorecard for myself, or I feel out of whack," she says.
UC hosts a golf tournament in Batavia, Ohio. It is at the Elks Run Golf Club, where Wilson currently holds a course record. The scorecard that she used to beat the previous course record is in their office for people passing to see. Her score card reads a 67, two less then the previous record holder.
Her future looks bright as she works towards her degree. "I like to work with numbers so I chose to major in Accounting," Wilson says. After graduating, she would love to be playing in the LPGA. If that doesn't work out, she wants a career linked with golf in some way.
Wilson's future is in full swing and is focused on the green. Whether that green is the golf course or the money she will be managing as an accountant, it is in Hillery's control.