April 27, 1999
KALAMAZOO -- The Western Michigan University women's golf team has signed five high school student-athletes to National Letters of Intent, head coach Cindy Trout announced today. The Broncos' first-ever recruiting class consists of: Erica Bieniek (Scottville/Mason County Central), Nicole Chamberlin (Fort Wayne, Ind./Bishop Dwenger), Megan Dunigan (Jackson/Lumen Christi), Brooke Hulsbrink (Grand Blanc) and Katie Yoder (Fort Wayne, Ind./Bishop Dwenger).
Bieniek (7.2 USGA handicap index) lettered four seasons and played the No. 1 position with the boys' golf team at Mason County Central due to the fact girls golf was not offered. She shot a 78 round to finish in the top 20 at a local invitational consisting of 155 entrants. She averaged an 84 over the prep season, just missing all-conference honors by seven strokes.
Chamberlin (9.6 handicap) led Bishop Dwenger High to a second place finish at the Indiana state tournament last fall. Chosen to the News-Sentinel all-area team, Chamberlin claimed medalist honors with a 2-under-par 71 to lead Bishop Dwenger to a 30-stroke victory at the Summit Athletic Conference tournament. Ranked 17th individually in the state, Chamberlin was chosen to participate in the North/South all-star match.
Dunigan (12.0 handicap) recorded a career-best 73 round at her conference meet last spring and is a four-year letterwinner. Her cousin, Hillary Schaffer, is a senior captain on WMU's tennis team.
Hulsbrink (10.6 handicap) enters her senior season having earned Big 9 Conference honors three times and leading Grand Blanc to a pair of top-seven finishes at state. As a junior, Hulsbrink tied for Big 9 Tournament medalist honors with a 79 round and placed fifth at the regional tournament. She has captained the team for two seasons and was recently named as the Flint Elks Golfer of the Year.
Yoder (9.1 handicap), a teammate of Chamberlin's at Bishop Dwenger, completed her third varsity season in the fall. Yoder's career highlights include a first-place finish at the 1998 Snider Invitational with a 78 round and a seventh-place showing (81 round) at the 1998 SAC tournament. She was also invited to the North/South all-star match.
"The incoming class will considerably upgrade the competitiveness of our team, says Trout." "They each are willing and able to make an immediate contribution to the very young Bronco golf team."
Media contact:Daniel Jankowski, 616 387-4138; daniel.jankowski@wmich.edu
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