Saluki Women's Golf signs two to NLI
11/13/2015 | 12:00:00 | Women's Golf
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Saluki women's golf head coach Alexis Mihelich announced a pair of signings for the 2016-17 season, with the additions of Lilian Klekner-Alt and Erica Kerr.
Hailing from Ottawa, Ontario, Klekner-Alt joins SIU after competing for the Camelot Golf Club. A three-time golf MVP for her club, Klekner-Alt will bring a wealth of experience to the Saluki golf team. She competed in Scotland as a member of Team Canada in the JR Euro Cup, helping her country win the tournament and retain the John Clark Trophy by winning all three of her matches. In 2015, she was the Camelot Golf Club Women's and Junior Women's Club Champion. This past summer she competed in the Women's Western Junior Amateur. She was co-leading the stroke play portion after round one and qualified for the prestigious Championship Flight. In 2014, Klekner-Alt was the Women's Western Junior Amateur 1st Flight Champion remaining undefeated in match play.
Klekner-Alt has also seen success off of the golf course, as she was a First-Team OFSAA selection in downhill skiing. She is also a Level 1 certified ski instructor and was awarded the 2014-15 Best Ski Instructor Award.
Kerr comes to SIU via Richwoods High School in Peoria, Ill. During her time at Richwoods, Kerr was one of the best in her school's history. As a freshman, she played on the boy's team, while becoming the first girl from her school to qualify for the state championship. A two-time Big 12 Conference Champion, Kerr was also named the PJStar Co-Golfer of the Year as a senior. She is a three-time PJStar Golfer of the Year finalist and a Scholar-Athlete Award winner. Kerr is a four-time state championship qualifier with her best finish coming in 2014 when she finished 11th. Her competitive experience includes competing on the PJGT, MAJGT, and the AJGA junior tours.
Outside of golf, Kerr was a four-year player in basketball and softball. She helped lead her basketball team to a Regional Championship, while earning All-Conference honors as a sophomore and junior in softball.
"My goal with this recruiting class was to recruit athletes," Mihelich said. "These girls are both tall and strong. Lili is the first player I've ever had who is over six feet tall. With her height and strength, she hits the ball a mile. She has played volleyball, basketball, and is a competitive downhill skier. All these competitive experiences can only make her a better golf competitor. Her swing is fundamentally flawless. She will make an immediate impact right away. Erica is no different. She is 5'8" and just a natural athlete. She is my first varsity three sport high school athlete. While recruiting her this summer, on the second hole I watched her play, she drove the green. She has so much power it's no surprise she excels in both basketball and softball. Her potential is unlimited. With fine tuning of her short game, she will be unbelievably good. When both Lili and Erica can begin to focus on just one sport, golf, training year round, they will become a dominant pair in the Missouri Valley."