Emily Fletcher Hired As Northwestern's Head Women's Golf Coach
May 13, 2008
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern Director of golf and men's head coach Pat Goss announced the hiring of Emily Fletcher as the Wildcats' women's head golf coach. "I have known Emily for over 15 years and had always thought she would make a great college coach," Goss said of Fletcher's hiring. "I am especially impressed with her background and relationships in professional golf. Our goal is to attract women who want to pursue golf with the goal of playing professionally. Emily has a strong belief in what Northwestern University and our golf programs stand for. I have no doubt she will lead us toward our goal of being the top team in the Big Ten and a consistently top-20 program." "She possesses a tremendous skill set, both as a teacher and recruiter, which makes her a great fit for our golf program," said director of athletics Jim Phillips. "Everyone that we've talked to about Emily raves about her knowledge and passion for the game, and her ability to work with student-athletes. We are confident that Emily can lead our program to the top of the Big Ten and rank among the nation's best teams." Fletcher has over 20 years of experience as a teacher and coach, including spending nine years mentoring on the LPGA Tour. She served as the primary swing instructor for the LPGA's Jenny Lidback, helping her win the 1995 DuMaurier Classic champion, one of the LPGA's four majors. Lidback also captured 20 top-10 finishes under Fletcher's tutelage. Fletcher also served as the assistant tournament director for the Wachovia Betsy King Classic from 1996 through 2004, serving in a variety of different roles. Her efforts with the championship earned a selection to work with Betsy King, a three-time LPGA Player of the Year and member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, at the 2009 Solheim Cup in Sweden.
"I think so highly of Emily that this past summer I chose her to assist me in the Solheim Cup," said King. "I recruited Emily to organize and lead the team helpers for the U.S. team. I think Emily will be an outstanding women's golf coach for Northwestern."
She has spent the last 20 years with the Glen View Club as the director of instruction, teaching professional and assistant manager for golf operations. Fletcher also spent four seasons as an assistant golf professional at the Desert Highlands Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. A 1987 graduate of Ferris State University, Fletcher was an AIAW Division II All-American in 1981. She has been a PGA member since 1987 and was named as the reader's favorite instructor in Golf For Women magazine in 1997. "These are exciting times in women's athletics at Northwestern," Fletcher said. "We're eager to put women's golf on the same level as softball, lacrosse, tennis and the other women's programs at Northwestern. The bar has been set by some of these other programs, and I'm excited for us to achieve at the same level." Fletcher replaces Chris Regenberg, who announced in September she was stepping down after serving 16 years as the program's only head coach. |
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