Dozens of Colorado high school seniors finalize their college golf commitments, including many who are NCAA Division I-bound
By Gary Baines – 11/15/2024
Despite impending roster limits for some programs in college golf having an impact on the early signing period for recruits, a couple dozen Class of 2025 junior golfers from Colorado have made their commitments official this week.
With the signing period for financial aid agreements beginning on Wednesday, at least 24 players from the Centennial State have finalized their choices. And that includes at least 14 who are headed for NCAA Division I programs in the late summer of 2025. And of those 14, a minimum of two will be playing DI golf for Colorado-based schools — Tyler Long of Evergreen and Brenna Higgins of Centennial, who both are headed to the University of Colorado.
Beyond that, the University of Wyoming was a big player regarding loading up on Colorado junior golfers. That includes three on the men’s side and one on the women’s. There’s twin siblings Austin and Ellie Barry of Fort Collins, along with Kellen Ball of Windsor and Connor Scheich of Highlands Ranch. Austin Barry made headlines this past high school season by shooting a 13-under-par 59 in a tournament at Harmony Club in Timnath.
Below are the Colorado high school class of 2025 golf signees and/or commitments. Note: These lists will be updated with further commitments. Please notify Colorado Golf Journal of additions by emailing golfjournal@coloradogolf.org
— Hadley Ashton of Erie and Erie High School — University of Wisconsin (NCAA Div. I): Ashton was the 2023 CGA Girls Player of the Year in 2023. … Won the Class 4A state high school individual title as a freshman in 2022 as well as the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior shortly thereafter. … She’s 199th in the Rolex AJGA rankings after a 2024 season in which she posted a runner-up finish in a playoff and two other top-15s in AJGA events. … Part of inaugural eight-player girls Team Colorado, part of the U.S. National Development Program.
— Kaleigh Babineaux of Aurora and Cherokee Trail HS (before moving to Austin, Texas) — University of Nebraska (NCAA Div. I): Semifinalist in the 2023 CGA State Junior.
— Payten Baca of Castle Rock and Douglas County HS — Saint Martin’s (Wash.) (NCAA Div. II).
— Kellen Ball of Windsor and Windsor Charter Academy— Wyoming (NCAA Div. I): Runner-up in a playoff at the 4A state high school tournament in 2022 and a regional champ in 2024.
— Austin Barry of Fort Collins and Fossil Ridge HS — Wyoming (NCAA Div. I): Shot a 13-under-par 59 during a high school regular-season tournament at Harmony Club.
— Ellie Barry of Fort Collins and Fossil Ridge HS — Wyoming (NCAA Div. I): Posted top-10 individual finishes in 2023 and ’24 5A girls state high school tournaments.
— Abbi Beld of Fort Collins and Fossil Ridge HS — Black Hills State (NCAA Div. II).
— Macie Doherty of Sterling and Sterling HS — Ottawa University Arizona (NAIA).
— Jesse Hand of Littleton and Chatfield HS — University of St. Thomas (Minn.) (NCAA Div. I): Part of inaugural eight-player boys Team Colorado, part of the U.S. National Development Program. … Won the 2024 Colorado PGA Junior Invitational. … Posted top-10 finish at 5A boys state high school tournament in 2024.
— Jaden Hawbaker of Colorado Springs and Pine Creek HS — Hawkeye Community College (Iowa).
— Brenna Higgins of Centennial and Valor Christian HS — University of Colorado (NCAA Div. I): Has won the last two Class 5A individual girls state high school titles, the one this year by six strokes. … Claimed the CGA State Junior title and the Colorado PGA Junior Invitational in 2023. … Part of the inaugural eight-player girls Team Colorado, part of the U.S. National Development Program.
— Kyndra Johnson of Salida and Salida HS — Palm Beach Atlantic (NCAA Div. II).
— Macy Kleve of Windsor and Windsor HS— Chadron State (Neb.) (NCAA Div. II).
— Ky Korte of Grand Junction and Grand Junction HS— Colorado Mesa (NCAA Div. II).
— Tyler Long of Evergreen and Evergreen HS — University of Colorado (NCAA Div. I): 2024 3A state high school champion, capping a season in which he won or shared the title in all eight high school tournaments in which he competed. He shot 66 or lower six times in his nine competitive high school rounds as a senior, with a low of 63 and a high of 69. … Named a boys Future Famer by the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2024. … Won the 2024 AJGA Colorado Springs Junior and stands 52nd in the Rolex AJGA rankings. … Part of inaugural eight-player boys Team Colorado, part of the U.S. National Development Program.
— Anthony Lore of Aurora and Regis Jesuit HS — Northern Iowa (NCAA Div. I): Regional boys high school champion in 2023.
— Kylee Mull of Grand Junction and Grand Junction HS — Ottawa University Arizona (NAIA).
— Lenna Persson of Aspen and Aspen HS — South Dakota State University (NCAA Div. I): Finished fourth in both the 2023 and 2024 3A girls state high school tournaments.
— Raleigh Puzio of Brighton and Brighton HS — Missouri Western State (NCAA Div. II)
— Conner Scheich of Highlands Ranch and Mountain Vista HS — Wyoming (NCAA Div. I): Finished runner-up in the 2024 CGA State Junior a year after advancing to the semifinals in the same event.
— Hope Torres of Broomfield and Prospect Ridge Academy — University of Montana (NCAA Div. I): Won 2024 3A girls state high school individual title in a playoff over two-time defending champion Maddy Bante.
— Samuel Walker of Aurora and Regis Jesuit HS — Trinity (Texas) (NCAA Div. III).
— Ashleigh Wilson of Highlands Ranch and Rock Canyon HS — Montana State (NCAA Div. I): 2024 CGA Girls Player of the Year. … Part of inaugural eight-player girls Team Colorado, part of the U.S. National Development Program. … Winner of the Colorado Junior PGA Championship and the CPGA Junior Match Play in 2023.
— Colgin Youssi of Denver and Colorado Academy — Middle Tennessee State (NCAA Div. I): Finished runner-up in an AJGA event in December 2023. … Advanced to the round of 16 at the 2024 CGA State Junior.
Meanwhile, some Colorado high school Class of 2026 golfers have made verbal commitments — 2024 5A state champion Gavin Amella of Castle Rock to CU, 2024 CGA Boys Player of the Year Miles Kuhl of Boulder to San Diego State and Brayden Forte of Aurora to Xavier.
As for signings of out-of-state golfers by Colorado-based college programs:
CSU Women — Kara Lee of Frisco, Texas; Gabie Rosco of Philippines
CU Men — Casey Kosney of Roebuck, S.C.
CU Women — Teemapat Pateetin of Thailand; Ananthi Vivek of India
DU Women — Holly Hamilton of Northern Ireland
About the Writer: Gary Baines has covered golf in Colorado continuously since 1983. He was a sports writer at the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder, then the sports editor there, and has written regularly for ColoradoGolf.org since 2009. The University of Colorado Evans Scholar alum was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2022. He owns and operates ColoradoGolfJournal.com