UK Women’s Golf Adds Two Highly Ranked Golfers for 2016-17

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky women’s golf team has signed highly rated high school stars Josephine Chang and Sarah Shipley during the fall signing period this week. Both signed national letters of intent with the University of Kentucky and will join the Wildcats for the 2016-17 season. 

“We are extremely excited to welcome Sarah and Josephine to our Kentucky women’s golf family,” head coach Golda Johansson Borst said. “They both have a strong passion for golf, UK and in helping this program reach new heights both within our conference and on a national level. I know they will come in next fall and have an immediate impact on our team and we are really looking forward to having them be part of our family.”

Both Chang and Shipley are highly touted prospects. Chang is ranked No. 50 in the Golfweek Magazine’s class of 2016 rankings while Shipley checks in at No. 62. 

Chang, from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., is a three-time First Team All-League selection out of Diamond Bar High School, a school that has had tremendous success with Chang leading the way. Chang led the school to the 2014 California Interscholastic Federation-Women’s Southern California Golf Association girls’ state championship and finished as state runners-up in both 2012 and 2013.

“We feel really lucky that we were able to recruit Josephine away from California,” Borst said. “We liked her game, and she was more aggressive on the greens than most junior players that we watched, which we loved. Josephine knows what it’s like to be a part of a successful high school team as she has been leading hers for most of her career.  Josephine has a great personality and I think she will add a great deal of positivity and competitiveness to our program as she strives to become a successful professional player.”

In addition to success in the California’s state tournament, Chang also led Diamond Bar to three CIF Southern Section championships, four league titles, two Knabe Cup championships and the 2014 Ayala Tournament crown.  

Chang is a three-time First Team All-League and a member of the 2015 American Junior Golf Association Scholastic All-America Team.  She finished third at the 2012 Veritas World Championship and fourth at the AJGA Junior at Yolo Fliers.

 

“I fell in love with the coaches, the campus the facilities and the great atmosphere of Lexington,” Chang said of choosing Kentucky. “I believe that I can improve and become the player that I want to be by joining this program, not to mention I love the school colors.”

Shipley will join UK next fall after a decorated junior career in Michigan. The Hastings, Mich., native was a five-time champion at the junior level, including the Michigan Girls’ Amateur Championship. 

“We watched Sarah for the first time this summer and immediately liked her game and her personality on the course,” Borst said. “She played a strong schedule over the summer and had a great deal of success both inside and outside her state of Michigan. Sarah is a great kid who has a lot of positive energy and she is striving to get better each day to take her game to the next level. We are really looking forward to providing her with an environment in which she can learn and grow throughout her collegiate career to help her become a successful tour player.”  

Included in Shipley’s victories are the Michigan Junior PGA Girls’ Championship, the AJGA Coca-Cola Championship, the Golf Association of Michigan Invitational and the Golf Week Junior Tour. She also posted a third-place and qualifying finish at the 2015 U.S. Girls’ Junior Qualifier in West Chester, Ill.

“I chose to become a Wildcat because of the entire package: the coaches, the team members, the university, the location and everything Kentucky has to offer,” Shipley said.

As always, fans can follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com, for the latest Kentucky women’s golf information.