WICHITA, Kan. - The Wichita State women's golf team has signed three student-athletes to national letters of intent, head coach Tom McCurdy announced today. Hannah Martin, Gretchen Huhnerkoch and Natalie Samb will join the Shockers next season. 

"All three of these ladies are rock solid components in what we're looking for to develop our program at a national level," McCurdy said. "We can build a great program around this class." 

Hannah Martin
Salina, Kan. ? South HS
Hannah led South HS to a 2008 5A Topeka West Regional Championship and a berth in the 2008 5A State Championship, where she finished as the tournament runner-up. Martin is no stranger to the state high school tournament, having qualified for the event all four years of high school. She won 12 tournaments in her high school career, and finished in the top five in all but one tournament.   During the summer of 2008, Hannah was selected to participate in the First Tee Open at Pebble Beach Golf course, where she was paired with PGA Champions Tour member Bruce Vaughan. The duo finished tied for seventh out of 78 Junior/Pro teams. 

"Hannah is a tremendously talented and gifted player," McCurdy said. "She is exceptionally long off the tee and has had a solid summer of tournaments that will help her in her collegiate career." 

Gretchen Huhnerkoch 
Burnsville, Minn. - Burnsville HS
Gretchen finished second at the 2008 Minnesota Women's Public Golf Association State Women's Publinks Tournament, defeating two of Minnesota's top career amateurs in the process. She also won the Minnesota Golf Association State Junior Championship by nine strokes, and was named the 2008 MGA Junior Girl Player of the Year. Huhnerkoch helped lead the Burnsville Blaze to a 2007 Minnesota Class AA team championship, three Section 6AA Team Championships, and three Lake Conference Team Championships. Gretchen was honored by the Minnesota Coaches Association as an all-state selection in her freshman, sophomore and junior seasons, and is a 13-time tournament medalist in her high school career.   Outside of high school golf, Gretchen is a three-time member of the Minnesota-Wisconsin Jr. PGA team, and a four-time member of the MGA: Minnesota-Manitoba Cup Team. Additionally, she tied for fourth at the 2007 USGA Junior Girls Qualifier, and advanced to the US Girls Junior Championships. 

"Gretchen is the best player in Minnesota," McCurdy said. "She turned a corner last summer and developed into a great collegiate prospect. She's the whole package, with a great work ethic. She has golf knowledge beyond her age."  

Natalie Samb
Savage, Minn. - Burnsville HS
As captain of the Burnsville High School team her junior and senior years, Natalie led the Blaze to a Class AAA state championship, and finished fourth individually at the state high school tournament; her fourth appearance in a state championship tournament. In addition to being named to the Minnesota State High School All-State team for the third-consecutive year, she finished as the Minnesota Junior Golf Association Player of the Year runner-up, and earned all-conference accolades for a third-consecutive season. She has also won 18 high school events in her career. Samb made her mark on the Burnsville golf program at an early age, qualifying for the Class AA state tournament as a seventh grader, and helping her team to a second place finish. Outside of high school golf, Natalie participated in the Minnesota PGA Junior Golf program, where she placed first in 12 tournaments while advancing to the Minnesota PGA Players' Tour, whre she was the champion of her section in 2006, 2007 and 2008.  

"Natalie is a really good player that flew under the radar," McCurdy said. "She has the ability to be a very consistent scorer if she continues to develop her game."

--Wichita State--