Columbus East senior golfer Autumn Fateley fought back tears of joy while sitting in the school’s commons and thanking all of her supporters during her signing day Wednesday afternoon.
Fateley has decided to travel to Nebraska and continue her golfing career at Division II Bellevue University. The small atmosphere of the Bruins’ campus helped draw in Fateley.
“When I went and visited the campus, it was really home-like, and it was really small,” Fateley said. “That really pulled me towards that. Also, I got the opportunity to practice with the captain of the golf team (Bri Stagge) during winter break, and she was really nice.”
Fateley first met Stagge her sophomore year when Stagge was a golfer at Greensburg. Now, the two athletes will be teammates starting next season.
Fateley visited the Bellevue campus and stayed for four days. She got to tour the campus and meet the team, but she already knew that Bellevue was the place for her after meeting and talking with coach Shelly Liddick on the phone before even taking the trip. Liddick is a friend of Otter Creek teaching pro Jeff Smith, who has worked with Fateley.
East coach Troy Buntin remembers when Fateley had just started golf as a seventh-grader just trying to get her swing together. He said he has enjoyed watching her turn into the player she has become today through the years, and is happy she gets to continue playing golf at the next level.
“I think anytime that one of your athletes makes a decision to continue to play golf or whatever sport is a great thing,” Buntin said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s Division l, Division ll or whatever. You’ve obviously worked hard to play at that next level … To see her grow from this kind of timid, shy girl to this young lady that is pretty focused is an amazing thing.”
Fateley not only is eager to join the Bruins golf roster, she also is excited to start her intended major. She will be studying computer science once she enrolls in classes.
“That’s something that really interests me, so I’m excited to go into something that I really want to study,” Fateley said. “And then being with a team like them, they’re so family oriented, it really makes me excited to be with them and have a second family. Well, a third, since I have my East one.”
