Huskers Sign Three Top Prep Golfers

Lincoln - Nebraska women’s golf coach Robin Krapfl announced on Friday the signing of three talented high school golfers to National Letters of Intent.

Nevada high school star Katelyn Wright, California prep standout Remylee Molyneux and Minnesota’s Stephanie Neisen will join the Nebraska program as freshmen for the 2010-11 season.

Wright, arguably the most successful high school golfer in Nevada history, captured her fourth straight state title less than a month ago, winning by a whopping 26 strokes with a two-under-par 142 over two rounds in cold, rainy conditions. As a junior at Incline High School in Incline Village, Nev., she won the crown by 28 strokes.

The Huskers continued with their 2009 success in the West with the signing of Molyneux. The 2008 Ventura County Junior Golf Association Player of the Year, Molyneux was the 2009 Tri-County League champion as a senior at Oaks Christian High School in California.

Neisen rounds out the Husker class with plenty of success at the state and junior level. Entering her senior season, Neisen is already a three-time top-seven finisher at the Minnesota Class AAA state championships for New Prague High School. In 2009, she finished as the state runner-up. On the junior level, she qualified for the 2008 USGA Publinks Championship in Wisconsin and has been a top-10 finisher at numerous AJCA, Pepsi Little People and Minnesota Golf Association events. A five-year varsity starter entering her senior season and a three-time first-team all-state selection, Neisen is ranked among the top 250 golfers in the class of 2010 by Golf World.

Krapfl said the three Husker newcomers were not only outstanding individuals on and off the course, they all aspire to succeed as members of a team.

"What I really like about this class is their desire to be part of a team, one that works together, supports each other and are life-long friends on and off the course," Krapfl said. "They each have tremendous leadership skills, strong work ethics, competitive drives, and a love for the game. I am really excited about this group, and I’m thrilled they are going to be a big part of Nebraska golf for the next four or five years. I think we are bringing in three outstanding young women who will have a huge impact on our program."

Katelyn Wright
Incline Village, Nev. (Incline)
One of the most talented prep golfers to ever join the Nebraska program, Katelyn Wright comes to Lincoln as a four-time Nevada state champion.

A second generation Husker, Wright’s mother, Shelly (Godeken) was a four-year letterwinner (1981-84) who earned All-Big Eight honors in 1983 and 1984.

"We are excited that Katie is coming to Nebraska," Coach Robin Krapfl said. "She is an outstanding young lady who is very mature and is a born leader. She brings all of the characteristics that we want in a student-athlete at Nebraska. She has outstanding length off the tee and good fundamentals. She is also hard-working, and a quality student. Plus, she already has a passion for Nebraska athletics and a desire to be a great player for the Huskers."

Wright enjoyed a stellar prep career at Incline High School in Nevada for Coach Joe Humasti. In October, Wright became just the second high school player in the history of Nevada to win four consecutive individual state titles. She won the 2009 Class 2A crown by 26 strokes with a two-under-par 142 over two rounds at the Genoa Lakes Golf Club. Her final-round 70 came in cold, rainy conditions and included a sizzling 33 on the front nine. In 2008, she won the title by a staggering 28 strokes over just two rounds, to help Incline to a state runner-up finish as a team.

Wright’s stroke average for her senior season was a 72, and she led the Highlanders to their first state team title since 2002, crushing runner-up Battle Mountain by 108 strokes.

As a junior golfer, Wright is a four-time qualifier for the Callaway Junior World Championships and is a three-time member of the Junior America’s Cup team. She was also twice named the captain of that team. She was the 2008 Nevada Junior Amateur champion, and was the runner-up at the 2008 Nevada Women’s Amateur.

A talented all-around athlete, Wright has been a member of two state championship teams (track and golf, 2009), while adding six individual state crowns (four in golf, two in track). Wright was a first-team Class 2A all-state pick as a point guard on the Incline basketball team. She was an all-region selection, team MVP and expects to earn her fourth varsity basketball letter this season. She also lettered three times in track, where she helped Incline to the 2009 Class 2A state team title. Wright scored 36 points for the Highlanders, claiming a state title as a member of the 4x400-meter relay team, while adding runner-up honors in the 400, 800 and 4x100-meter relay.

As a sophomore in 2008, Wright was named the track team’s MVP after helping the 4x100-meter relay capture a state title, while adding a runner-up finish as a member of the 4x400-meter relay.

In the classroom, Wright is the Incline Student Body President in 2009-10, after serving as the junior class vice president in 2008-09. She was also a member of the National Honor Society. She carries a 3.74 grade-point average while participating in the honors program in math and Spanish, and taking advanced placement courses in English and science.

Stephanie Neisen
New Prague, Minn. (New Prague)
One of the most accomplished junior golfers in Minnesota, Stephanie Neisen comes to Nebraska after ranking among the top players in the state each of the past three years. She will be entering her sixth season of high school varsity golf in the spring of 2010, and she is a five-time All-Missota Conference selection.

The 2009 Minnesota Class AAA (state's largest) High School Girls runner-up, and a three-time top-seven finisher at the state tournament, Neisen will bring a strong competitive nature to the course according to Nebraska Coach Robin Krapfl.

"Steffi is a great student with outstanding character who has natural leadership qualities. She is going to be a great addition to our team. She is a hard worker and cares about those around her. She has a solid all-around game with outstanding fundamentals. She is also extremely competitive and will never give up. She is going to do everything she can to be successful, and to help the team succeed."

A three-time first-team Class AAA (Minnesota's largest), Neisen was the state runner-up at New Prague High School, after being named the All-Missota Conference Player of the Year for the fourth straight season as a junior in 2009. Neisen finished four strokes out of first at the 2009 championships in June, closing her two rounds at 155 on the par-73, 5,809-yard layout at Bunker Hills Golf Course in Coon Rapids, Minn.

Neisen, who has played varsity golf since her seventh-grade year at New Prague, is a five-time All-Missota Conference selection and a medalist in more than 40 high school tournaments during her career. As a junior, she posted the state's best stroke average (74.3) for Coach Matt Shetka at New Prague.

As a junior golfer, Neisen competed at the 2008 USGA Publinks Championship in Wisconsin and owns top-10 finishes in AJGA, Pepsi Little People and several Minnesota Amateur Championships. She has also competed in the Minnesota-Wisconsin Cup matches and Minnesota-Manitoba Cup matches.

In the 2009 Minnesota Golf Association final standings, Neisen finished fifth, after taking seventh at the Minnesota State Junior Girls Championships, while tying for ninth at the 2009 Minnesota Women's Amateur.

She finished seventh on the MGA girls standings in 2008. She tied for fourth at the Minnesota Class AAA High School State Championships and took fifth at the Minnesota Women's Golf Association Junior Championship. She also finished eighth at the Minnesota PGA Junior Championship.

In 2007, Neisen placed eighth on the MGA list after taking third at the MWGA Girls Junior and the Minnesota PGA Junior Tournament of Champions. She finished seventh at the state high school championships, and tied for 10th at the Minnesota Women's Amateur. Her swing coach is Chris Baisch

Academically, she carries a 3.7 grade-point average and is a member of National Honor Society. She committed to Nebraska before her junior season of high school golf and also received offers from several Big Ten and Big 12 schools.

Remylee Molyneux
Westlake Village, Calif. (Oaks Christian)
A talented golfer out of California, Remylee Molyneux comes to Nebraska after a successful high school and junior career. The 2009 Tri-Valley League Champion and 2008 Ventura County Junior Golfer of the Year at Oaks Christian High School, Molyneux has been a consistent winner over the past several seasons. In fact, she was the medalist at 11 high school tournaments in 2008.

"Remy is coming to Nebraska with a very diverse background having traveled to and lived in several countries," Nebraska Coach Robin Krapfl said. "She is really starting to come into her own on the course. She has excellent length and has been working on becoming better in all areas of her game. She has the potential to be a tremendous player for us."

Molyneux was the captain of her Oaks Christian High School team coached by Tim Meinert. Molyneux repeated as the Tri-Valley League champion as a senior in 2009, and Oaks Christian shared the Tri-Valley League title. Molyneux won medalist honors in 11 of 15 high school tournaments as a junior in 2008. She also assisted in coaching the middle school girls golf program at Oaks Christian.

Molyneux won four consecutive VCJGA tournaments in the summer of 2008, including the Ventura County State Stroke Play Championship. She fired a career-best 71 to win the Thousand Oaks Open on July 8, 2008. She also won a 15-18 California Junior Tour event at Buenaventura at the age of 15.

She was also coached by Roger Gunn, who was ranked as one of the top 100 coaches in the nation by GolfMagazine. Her home course is the Sunset Hills Country Club in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Molyneux chose Nebraska over Campbell, Methodist and New Mexico State.