Nugent inks with Arkansas golf

FAYETTEVILLE — Kathleen Nugent signed a National Letter of Intent to join the University of Arkansas women’s golf team for the 2008-09 season, head coach Shauna Estes announced Wednesday.

Nugent, a 5-6, right-hander from Andover, Kansas, is a four-time league and regional champion as well as a three-time state runner-up for the Andover Trojans. She won the state title as a sophomore and capped off her prep career winning nine of 10 events.

"I am very excited to have Katy joining our family," said Estes. "She was a camper two years ago and during that week I saw something special in her. She came with a broken foot, but out-worked everyone that week and wanted to learn everything she could during each session. She is a competitor and knows how to win. She has had a tremendous high school golf career and really came on strong this summer with some great finishes in some big junior events. She is an awesome student and I know she will do some special things here at Arkansas."

Her senior season saw Nugent finish as the runner-up at the Class 4-1A state tournament falling by one stroke en route to the team title. It was Nugent’s second consecutive runner-up finish and earned her recognition in Sports Illustrated’s Faces In The Crowd.

Nugent’s high school career also includes back-to-back league, regional and state team titles with the Trojans.

Nugent is Estes’ first signee as a head coach since accepting the position at Arkansas this summer.

In addition to her high school accomplishments, Nugent competed in several amateur and junior events. At age 13 she became the youngest winner of the Wichita City Junior in 2003 with a 74 in the final round. Nugent set a state record with a 67 at 4-1A Regional in 2005 at the Links at Pratty Prairie Golf course.

Nugent is the only child of Robert and Linda Nugent of Wichita, Kan., and hopes to major in horticulture, landscape and turf science at Arkansas.