Huskies Welcome Four Standouts for Class of 2016
November 21, 2015 | Women's Golf
Washington Women's Golf welcomes four standout student-athletes to the program for the class of 2016 as Ellen Takada, Jiwon Jeon, Esther Yin and EunWon Park have all signed National Letters of Intent to play for the Huskies next season, head coach Mary Lou Mulflur announced this week.
“We're excited about this group and feel like it's a really good class for us,” said Mulflur. “You may not recognize all of the names but all four of these ladies will transition into our program seamlessly. We look for a particular profile and this group all fits exactly what we are looking for. They understand our philosophy and are willing and excited to be a part of our program.”
Takada is currently ranked 66th in the Golfweek Junior rankings and has competed at the highest level throughout her prep career. Originally born in Irvine, California, Takada and her family moved back to Japan during her childhood before returning to California when Takada started high school. She finished in the top 10 at the 2015 AJGA Girls Championship, the Junior PGA Championship and the AJGA's Winn Grips Heather Farr Classic. Additionally, she advanced to match play at the U.S. Girls Junior Championship.
“Ellen is a feisty player. She's tiny but pound for pound she's one of the best players out there,” said Mulflur. “We were really impressed with her preparation in the recruiting process and the way she presented herself. Her mom was a professional tennis player in Japan and so that was appealing because you have a parent that knows what it's like to compete at high level. Ellen is a really great kid and we're excited to have her here next year.”
Jeon hails from Australia and is ranked 28th nationally by Golf Australia. In her amateur career, she's already posted a wealth of top-10 international finishes. In just her second professional tournament – the Australian Ladies masters - Jeon finished 12th at the age of 17. She also earned top five finishes at the Greg Norman Junior Masters, Hills China Junior Open, Albatross Juniors in India and the Hills Thailand Junior Championship.
“Jiwon has the potential to be a tremendous player,” added Mulflur. “She also has that gap year before she arrives in Seattle as she graduates from high school this winter, due to the Australia system. So she'll have basically a full year to practice and hone in on her skill set. We're really excited about that opportunity for her to really prepare for the collegiate level.”
The third international signee is Esther Yin who was raised in China in the same city as current senior Ying Luo and currently lives in Burbank, California. Yin is a First team All-League honoree and led her high school team to a runner-up finish at the California State Golf Finals.
“Esther is someone that is fully bought into the UW program,” said Mulflur. “She couldn't be more excited to continue her education and grow her golf career in Seattle with our program. Her desire to be here and her willingness is something we're excited about and we feel is going to add a lot to our team.”
Park hails from Tenafly, N.J., and boasts a handful of top 10 finishes as a junior amateur golfer. She owns a low round of 5-under 65 and finished fourth at the AJGA Golf Performance Center Junior Championship while taking the same spot at the PGA Junior Series. Park went to the New Jersey State Golf Championships as a sophomore and earned Second-Team All-State Honors as a junior.
“We know she has a tremendous upside,” said Mulflur. “She's somebody who is very committed to getting better. She has shown glimpses at times and we have faith in her ability and her determination as a player that she will make significant strides and be a contributor on this team.”
Players Mentioned
