The Illinois State womens golf team has added another Redbird to its roster for the 2003-04 season with the signing of Hilary Anderson of Decatur, Ill.
Anderson signed her National Letter of Intent on April 17 to continue her athletic and academic career at Illinois State. Anderson attended Warrensburg-Lantham High School, but competed on the Maroa-Forsyth High School team because of a co-op. As a four-year letterwinner at Maroa-Forsyth, Andersons 14th-place individual finish at the IHSA state golf tounrament this past year helped her team take home second-place hardware. Anderson boasts a 37.7 stroke average, competing in traditional, nine-hole high school matches. During her senior year, Anderson finished third at the Normal Community Invite and was awarded medalist honors for her play at the Decatur-Cleveland Invitational.
Andersons high school coach, Dana Dale, believes the incoming freshman will make an immediate impact on the Redbird squad.
Hilary is a great competitor, Dale said. Illinois State has acquired an incredible golfer. She helped our team acheive our goals and I feel she will compete well for any team she plays for.
Redbird head coach
Ray Kralis is also excited about the addition of Anderson.
Hilary is a complete player with unlimited potential, said Kralis. She is a proven performer with wins on the state and national levels. She is driven to excel and has set high goals for herself as she pursues her dream of ultimately competing on the LPGA Tour.
She has posted impressive scores in her numerous victories and should have an immediate impact on our team's performance, Kralis continued. Her dad is a PGA Professional and has been a wonderful influence on her development. I anticipate a smooth transition for her as she progresses to the NCAA Division I level.
Anderson joins Chelsea Bach, a Roscoe, Ill. native in this years recruiting class. Anderson and Bach will join the Redbirds in the fall and, according to Kralis, will bring positive play to the team.
I am very excited about our 2003 recruiting class, Kralis said. Hilary Anderson and Chelsea Bach are two of the top players from the state of Illinois, and they will be a great addition to Redbird golf. It is very gratifying to have players of their caliber excited about making an impact on our program.
