STILLWATER, Okla. (Courtesy of OSU Athletics) - Former Oklahoma State standout Annie Thurman-Young has been named the head women's golf coach at her alma mater, it was announced today by the OSU Board of Regents.
The 26-year old Thurman-Young, who was four-year letterwinner at Oklahoma State from 2001-05, becomes the fifth head coach in OSU women's golf history. A native of Highland, Utah, she graduated from OSU in 2005 with a degree in marketing.
"I'm very excited - this is a great opportunity," Thurman-Young said. "It's a chance for me to come back home somewhat, that's what it feels like. My husband (Caleb) and I both love Stillwater so it's a great opportunity for us.
"I've always wanted to coach and when the opportunity to go back to OSU came up, it seemed like the right thing to do and things fell into place quite nicely."
"Everyone associated with the OSU golf programs is excited to have Annie Thurman-Young returning as our head women's golf coach,"
said OSU Vice President for Athletics Mike Holder. "She will compensate for her lack of coaching experience with work ethic, playing experience, enthusiasm and passion for OSU.
"We are proud that she is an alumna, and this should give her an advantage in selling the program."
One of the most decorated players in Cowgirl golf history, Thurman-Young had a storied career on the links for the Cowgirls. As a senior in 2005, she earned first-team All-America honors and was the Big 12 Conference Player of the Year. She captured medalist honors in leading OSU to the team title at the Big 12 Women?s Golf Championship and helped the Cowgirls to an eighth-place finish at the NCAA Championships.
Thurman-Young's career also included a 2004 Big 12 individual title, and she was a three-time All-Big 12 performer (2003-05). In 2004, she helped OSU to a second-place finish at the NCAA Championships, which marked the best finish in Cowgirl golf history.
As an amateur, Thurman-Young competed in the U.S. Women's Open in 2003 and led the United States to a win in the 2004 Curtis Cup. She won the 2002 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship in Sunriver, Ore., becoming the first woman from the state of Utah to win a USGA championship. The win also qualified her for the 102nd U.S. Women's Amateur.
Following her OSU playing career, Thurman-Young spent time playing on the Futures Tour, the developmental tour for the LPGA, and also competed in several LPGA Tour events.
OSU is coming off a Big 12 championship in 2008 and will be led by senior and two-time, first-team All-American Pernilla Lindberg in 2009. The Cowgirls ended the recent fall season ranked No. 6 nationally in the Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index.
"I'm coming into quite a good situation with the players that we have right now," Thurman-Young said. "We have a great opportunity to win a conference championship this year and also have a shot at a national championship. OSU has not won a national championship, and there's no reason that we shouldn't win one with the talent that we have and the opportunities that we have at Oklahoma State.
"I have a great coaching staff so although I don't have a lot of experience, they will be able to help me out quite a bit. There?s a lot of pride in the golf program at OSU, which you don?t find in a lot of universities. That's going to help us take it to the next level," she exclaimed.