The golf career of Ripon High senior Samantha Conway began with a skillless session of hitting a bucket of balls, but after four grueling seasons with the Indians, the constant improvements paid off when Conway was accepted to the University of Redlands.
Conway will attend the NCAA Division-III program located in Southern California and play for decorated head coach Art Salvesen. Salvesen guided the Redlands men’s golf program for a decade ending in 2009.
Continuing on into the collegiate game was not something Conway expected to happen during the early stages of her game. By the end of her senior year Conway had options to choose from, and the Bulldogs became her primary intrest.
“My freshman year was the first year I started golf, I was just getting into the game and I didn’t really think too much about college,” Conway said. “My junior and senior year, college just became really important to me. I talked to a coach in Iowa, I talked to a few in Kansas, but I just really like California.
“The weather out here is really nice.”
Getting ready for her freshman season hitting wiffle balls inside a gym because of the snow was nothing Conway envisioned for college, giving the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference the inside track on Conway’s services.
Conway played a prominent role in the Indians rebuilding a program that was winless during the 2007 season. She was honored on the 2010 Bulletin All-Area Golf Team after playing as Ripon’s No. 1. She won the Valley Foothill League North Division’s Mideseason Tournament with an 86.
Now she will look to assit a program in its fifth year of existance this season make the transition into the company of the nationally ranked programs. The Bulldogs won their first tournament in the programs’ breif history earlier this month when they took down the Lady Bulldog Five Match at East Valley Golf Course Beaumont.
“Considering that she started her freshman year not even able to hit a golf ball 10-feet to wining some tournaments her senior year,” Ripon head coach Eric Dambrosio said. “The sky is the limit with her. She definitely has the athletic ability and she also has the determination, so I don’t see a ceiling for her.
“If she continues on with what she is doing now and applies herself, she cane become a very successful college golfer.”
Conway will attend the NCAA Division-III program located in Southern California and play for decorated head coach Art Salvesen. Salvesen guided the Redlands men’s golf program for a decade ending in 2009.
Continuing on into the collegiate game was not something Conway expected to happen during the early stages of her game. By the end of her senior year Conway had options to choose from, and the Bulldogs became her primary intrest.
“My freshman year was the first year I started golf, I was just getting into the game and I didn’t really think too much about college,” Conway said. “My junior and senior year, college just became really important to me. I talked to a coach in Iowa, I talked to a few in Kansas, but I just really like California.
“The weather out here is really nice.”
Getting ready for her freshman season hitting wiffle balls inside a gym because of the snow was nothing Conway envisioned for college, giving the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference the inside track on Conway’s services.
Conway played a prominent role in the Indians rebuilding a program that was winless during the 2007 season. She was honored on the 2010 Bulletin All-Area Golf Team after playing as Ripon’s No. 1. She won the Valley Foothill League North Division’s Mideseason Tournament with an 86.
Now she will look to assit a program in its fifth year of existance this season make the transition into the company of the nationally ranked programs. The Bulldogs won their first tournament in the programs’ breif history earlier this month when they took down the Lady Bulldog Five Match at East Valley Golf Course Beaumont.
“Considering that she started her freshman year not even able to hit a golf ball 10-feet to wining some tournaments her senior year,” Ripon head coach Eric Dambrosio said. “The sky is the limit with her. She definitely has the athletic ability and she also has the determination, so I don’t see a ceiling for her.
“If she continues on with what she is doing now and applies herself, she cane become a very successful college golfer.”
