Xavier women’s golf coach Breanna Jenco has made it a priority to watch Natahaly Munnicha play golf the past couple years.
Last week, the Columbus North junior rewarded Jenco’s persistence by committing to the Musketeers.
“They’ve been on the top of my list,” Munnicha said. “They’ve been coming to watch me play for a very long time, especially this past summer. The coach is very nice. That’s somewhere I can strive and get better academic-wise and golf-wise.”
Munnicha, who plans to major in something business related, also had a scholarship offer from Ball State. She visited Xavier in December and can sign her national letter-of-intent in November.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
“They have a great golf program,” Munnicha said. “I love how close the school is to home. It’s only an hour-and-a-half. It’s far enough to be independent, but I can go home whenever I want to, and my parents can always come up and see me.”
Last fall, Munnicha averaged 73.4 in 18-hole rounds in earning All-State honors for the second consecutive year. Her season was highlighted by a school-record 67 in winning medalist honors in the Conference Indiana Tournament at Timbergate.
“I’m happy for her,” North coach Scott Seavers said. “She was really happy with Xavier. She liked the coach and liked the program. I think it’s a pretty good fit for her. It’s close to home. They’re getting a fabulous golfer and a terrific student.”
Munnicha has been practicing at Otter Creek this winter and plans to play in couple of tournaments in the spring.
“I’ve been just trying to get out there when it’s 40 degrees,” Munnicha said. “I might be like, ‘I’ll just try and play some,’ because it’s not the same playing inside. It’s always better to try to play outside. I’ve just been working on my swing, working out, going to the gym and doing some workouts, trying to get a stronger core.”
Munnicha hopes that leads to a big senior season with the Bull Dogs and a strong start to her college career in the 2021-22 school year.
“It’s a good feeling knowing that there’s a place I’ll be going next year,” Munnicha said. “But also, I want to get better. I just want to keep improving and be ready for the team in a couple of years.”
