Women's Golf | May 17, 2016

PHILADELPHIA – La Salle University women's golf head coach Jason Calhoun is pleased to announce the signing of the program's first recruiting class. Marybelle Daclan (Galloway, N.J. / Absegami), Gabby Morganti (Havertown, Pa. / Academy of Notre Dame), Bella Ritzel (Margate City, N.J. / Ocean City) and Rebecca Smith (Columbus, Ind. / Columbus East) have all signed National Letters of Intent to play women's golf at La Salle, which begins varsity competition in the fall of 2016.
 
"I am very excited to have signed such a great group of student-athletes in this historical first class of women golfers at La Salle," Calhoun said. "Every one of these individuals comes to La Salle with goals of achieving a high level of education while also wanting to play collegiate golf at a high level. Please join me in welcoming this inaugural group of great students to La Salle."

  Daclan owned a scoring average of 79 as a junior and finished 12^th at the state tournament. She posted a career-low of 74 for 18 holes and a low nine-hole score of 35 (one-under). A two-time team captain, she earned team MVP honors as a junior. Daclan is also a standout in the classroom and was the president of the National Honor Society.
 
"Marybelle was a late arrival to this first class," Calhoun said. "When I began to talk with her it was very clear that La Salle was a perfect fit.  She is very talented golfer and will be just as strong in the classroom for us.  I am so excited to have signed such a solid player and great person to this team."

  Morganti was a member of the Academy of Notre Dame team that won the Inter-Ac and went undefeated for the past six years. She was an honorable mention all-Inter-Ac selection and finished sixth at the Philadelphia Junior PGA Championship, Girls 16-to-18.
 
"Gabby was the first ever verbal commit to the La Salle women's golf team," Calhoun said. "She later backed that up in writing with her NLI.  She is tremendous leader and has a passion for golf.  She is a rising player with a lot of untapped talent and I look forward to seeing her develop both on the course and in the classroom over the next four years.  With her work and involvement with the First Tee it would not surprise me if she becomes a coach in the future."
 
Ritzel is currently playing golf at Ocean City High School and was also an accomplished field hockey player.
 
"Bella arrives as the most well-rounded athlete and has really made a strong commitment to focus her athletic prowess on her golf game," Calhoun said. "She is a great student and will thrive at La Salle. I look forward to seeing her become the player that I know she can be and leading us to great heights in the next four years."
 
Smith is a two-time team MVP at Columbus East where she shot a career-low of 73. Her senior year scoring average was 79.6 strokes/round. An honor roll student, she comes from a golfing family as her father, Jeff, is a PGA Professional and her mother, Kathy, was an Academic All-American golfer at Indiana University. Her Sister Caroline plays at Loyola Chicago and three aunts were Division I golfers.
 
"Rebecca is a player that I have known about for years and I am so happy to be in a position to coach her at the collegiate level," Calhoun said. "I recruited her sister to play at Loyola of Chicago and had always hoped that I could one day coach Rebecca.  Upon becoming the coach at La Salle I began that process and with the school having the reputation that it does and the commitment that La Salle has made to the women's golf program, Rebecca became a huge fan.  She was offered by a few other big name schools that are far more established in the college golf world but decided to bring her game to Philadelphia and I could not happier to have her as a cornerstone for this program."
 
"As you can see the arrow for this team is pointed up and the interest that we have at such an early stage in our program speaks volumes about La Salle and the school's academic and athletic reputation," Calhoun said. "This group of student-athletes will only improve over their playing careers and their careers after school. Today marks a great time to be an Explorer."