MASON CITY – NIACC sophomore Mikayla Smith has signed a national letter of intent to play golf next season at Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids.
Mount Mercy is an NAIA school in the Midwest Collegiate Conference.
“I liked their academics and the golf program seemed to be a good fit,” Smith said. “I visited several other schools and nothing seemed to mesh together very well.”
Smith, a former Mason City High prep, said she plans on studying public relations at Mount Mercy.
“I think it’s going to be a great fit for her,” NIACC golf coach Chris Frenz said. “The coach is a good guy down there. You have to keep the fun in the game and I think he’ll do that.”
Frenz said it’s the first time in his seven years that a women’s golfer has signed to play at a four-year school.
Smith, who placed 47th at the NJCAA national meet last spring, said she’s glad made her four-year collegiate choice before the 2013 spring season gets underway.
“It’s a big relief,” she said. “I know can just focus on the spring season and don’t have to worry about trying to impress anyone else.”
Smith was the meet medalist at the Iowa Central Invitational last spring and was the runner-up medalist the Region XI meet in Ankeny to earn her trip to the national meet.
Smith said she’s ready for her sophomore season at NIACC.
“I’m a lot more experienced,” she said. “I had the chance to go to nationals last year and that was a huge experience that will help me not just in golf but in life.
“I got to meet a lot of different people and had a chance to get more offers than I had out of high school.”
“I’d like to make it to nationals one more time and take a regional title,” she said.
Frenz said those two goals are possible.
“Her driving is tremendous,” the coach said. “She works her tail off. She probably needs to work a bit on the mental part of the game – managing the course and not beating yourself up. She does fine with it, for the most part, but again it’s more if you got a double on a hole, forget about it and go to the next hole.”
Frenz said Smith has shown a lot of improvement from her days as a Mohawk to heading into her sophomore season at NIACC.
“I honestly think that with her signing it’s going to make a big difference,” Frenz said. “It was in the back of her mind every time she went out.
“Now that this is done, all she has to do is play.”
Smith At NIACC
2011 fall season highlights: Medalist at DMACC Invitational (Sept. 8) with a 44-38 – 82 … Placed second at Iowa Lakes Invitational (Sept. 20) with a 43-39 – 82 … Tied for fifth at the NIACC Invitational (Sept. 22) with a 44-43 – 87 … Tied for second at the Ashford University Invitational in DeWitt, Iowa (Sept. 26) with a 42-44 – 86 … Meet medalist at Waldorf Invitational (Oct. 9) with a 40-47 – 87,
2011 fall season
Sept. 8 (DMACC) – 44-38 – 82; Sept. 10-11 (Hibbing Community College) – 81-93 – 174; Sept. 20 (Iowa Lakes) – 43-39 – 82; NIACC Invitational (Sept. 22) – 44-43 – 87; Sept. 26 (Ashford University) – 42-44 – 86; Oct. 9 (Waldorf) – 40-47 – 87.
Low 18-hole round: 81 at Hibbing Invitational on Sept. 10; Low 36-hole score: 174 at Hibbing Invitational on Sept. 10-11; 18-hole average (7 rounds): 85.4.
2012 spring season highlights: Placed ninth at Iowa Intercollegiate tournament (March 24-25) with a 92-79 – 171 … Tied for ninth at the AIB Invitational (April 13-14) with a 91-83 – 174 … Meet medalist at Iowa Central Invitational (April 16) with a 36-37 – 73 … Placed second at Region XI meet in Ankeny (April 27-28) with a 91-80 – 171 … Placed 47th at NJCAA meet in Daytona Beach (May 14-17) with a 93-85-83-87 – 348.
2012 spring season
March 24-25 (Iowa Intercollegiate) – 92-79 – 171; April 5 (DMACC) – 45-48 – 93; April 9 (Ellsworth) – 48-41 – 89; April 13-14 (AIB) – 91-83 – 174; April 16 (Iowa Central) – 36-37 – 73; April 27-28 (Region XI meet) – 91-80 – 171; May 14-17 (NJCAA meet) – 93-85-83-87 – 348.
Low 18-hole round: 73 at Iowa Central (April 16); Low 36-hole score: 171 at Iowa Intercollegiate (March 24-25) and 171 at Region XI meet (April 27-28); 18-hole average (13 rounds): 86.1.
2012 fall season highlights: Tied for meet medalist at DMACC Invitational (Sept. 6) with a 39-42 – 81 … Tied for 22nd at Wartburg Invitational (Sept. 8-9) with a 83-80 – 163 … Helped NIACC shoot school record 327 at Iowa Lakes Invitational (Sept. 23) with a 38-42 – 80.
2012 fall season
Sept. 3-4 (Mount Mercy) – 82-93 – 175; Sept. 6 (DMACC) – 39-42 – 81; Sept. 8-9 (Wartburg) – 83-80 – 163; Sept. 23 (Iowa Lakes) – 38-42 – 80; Sept. 30-Oct. 2 (Grand View) – 85-81 – 166; Oct. 7 (Waldorf) – 46-49 – 95.
Low 18-hole round: 80 at Wartburg Invitational (Sept. 9); Low 36-hole score: 166 at Grand View (Sept. 30-Oct. 2); 18-hole average (9 rounds): 84.4.
Career bests
Low 18-hole round: 73 at Iowa Central (April 16, 2012); Low 36-hole score: 166 at Grand View (Sept. 30, Oct. 12, 2012).
