The future is bright for the Oregon men’s and women’s golf team.
In the middle of their 2000-01 campaign, the Duck men signed two of Oregon’s top golfers to national letters of intent during the fall signing period.
“We signed two of the best golfers in the state, and I’m very pleased we were able to keep these talented golfers here in Oregon,” head coach Steve Nosler said.
The first recruit signed, Kyle Johnson, was an all-around star athlete at North Bend High School. He was North Bend’s starting quarterback, started on the basketball squad and was an all-state golfer.
“He is a tremendous athlete and has a lot of promise as a golfer,” Nosler said. “He is the entire package you look for in a recruit. He’s a terrific addition to our program.”
The second recruit, Eugene’s own Chris Dukeminier, has a number of individual accomplishments on his resumé. In 2000, Dukeminier has won the Oregon Golf Association Junior Tournament, the Peter Jacobsen Tournament and been named to the all-district team at Sheldon High School.
“I’ve seen Chris play several times and he has the ability to put up some very good numbers,” Nosler said. “He has the raw talent that should be the base for a very successful career.”
Meanwhile, the women’s golf team is also building for next year. Head coach Shannon Rouillard will lose five seniors off the 2000-01 squad, including All-America candidate Jerilyn White. So, Rouillard followed in Nosler’s footsteps and signed a local talent for the 2001-02 season.
Johnna Nealy, from Grants Pass, has two sisters in Division I golf programs — one at Arizona State and the other at New Mexico — but has many individual accomplishments as well. Nealy placed fifth at the 2000 Oregon state high school championships, and second in her district finals.
“She hits the ball a long way and is very competitive,” Rouillard said. “She is a great addition to our team and I expect her to come in and make an immediate impact.”