Having the drive to play golf since her youth, junior Bryce Hetchler is living out her dream by playing with the Bulldog women’s golf team.
Before coming to Ferris to join the team, Hetchler got her start in competitive golf by transferring to Fraser High School in Fraser, Mich. just so she could play golf on a women’s golf team.
“I actually started golf when I was 6,” Hetchler said. “My dad taught me everything I knew about the game until about my senior year of high school. He’s been the most important person in my life.”
Hetchler has led the Bulldogs on the links to start the season, as she holds the top strokes per contest average at 78.2 strokes,.Since joining the Bulldog golf team, she has been named an All-American Scholar in consecutive years while also earning GLIAC Athlete of the Week awards last week.
“Bryce has improved and matured tremendously as a student-athlete since arriving at Ferris State two years ago,” said Mike Mignano, who serves as the women’s golf coach. “Bryce has been an Academic All-American Scholar during her first two seasons as a Bulldog; with her work ethic she is able to balance golf and school very well.”
Hetchler earned Athlete of the Week laurels with her play at the Lake Superior State Invitational, where Hetchler also claimed her first ever first-place victory with a 12-over par 156 stroke. She currently has a career average of 80.95 and she is striving to meet her goal to leave Ferris with an average around 78 or lower and to ultimately be a Division II All-American.
Though Hetcler has showcased her talents early in the season, her teammates know Hetchler puts in the hard work required to win.
“Especially this year over all others, I don’t think I could be without any person that’s on the team,” Hetchler said. “The team support is the best part. It’s good to know whether you have a good day or bad day, your team will always be there to lift you up, and my team actually does that.”
Mignano and Hetchler both agree on the importance of helping each other and challenging one another to improve not just themselves, but them as a team.
“I am proud of the whole team and of Bryce for getting her first collegiate victory,” Mignano said. “We have a very competitive roster this season and it makes for a challenging environment where everyone is working together to get better individually but also push their teammates to continue to improve.” n