Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Women's golf adds three for 2017-18
11/11/2016 | 1:35:00 | Women's Golf
The 2017-18 signing class was completed for the women's golf team when three new Salukis put pen to paper to commit the next four years of their golf careers to SIU.
Moyea Russell, of Lake Orion, Michigan, Emilyee McGiles, of Orland Park, Illinois and Rosemarie Bundy, of West Chicago, Illinois will all begin playing for SIU in 2017-18. Saluki head coach Alexis Mihelich said all three players will push the returning players next season and at least one freshman is likely to play in tournaments as a part of the traveling team next year.
The most decorated signee, Moyea Russell, led Lake Orion High School to three-straight Michigan High School Athletic Association State Finals and two-straight county championships.
Individually, Russell finished tied for second at the Michigan State Championships and won the Oakland County Championships in 2015. She made the All-State team in her sophomore year and was the Golfer of the Year in the Detroit area in 2015. She also medaled at the AJGA Junior at Forest Lake Qualifier in 2014. She finished in the top-10 in three-straight events in June including a Callaway Junior Tour event and the Michigan State Junior Amateur. She is ranked 10th in the state of Michigan according to juniorgolfscoreboard.com.
"Moyea is a competitor, she's strong, she hits it far off the tee, and she has a sharp mental game," Mihelich said. "She will have the most expectations coming in, but she can rise to the occasion. She is really looking forward to competing at this level and she will blossom into a star in the MVC in her freshman year."
Russell will study radio, television and digital media at SIU.
Southern's second signee, Emilyee McGiles, is an Illinois native with the ability to shoot sub-70 scores. She shot a 68 in an Illinois High School Regional in 2015. McGiles medaled in that event. She finished fourth at a Mid-American Junior Golf Tour event in June.
Mihelich said the Orland Park native is a dedicated golfer.
"She's a student of the game. She loves golf," Mihelich said. "I have high hopes for her as hopefully she can be one of the strongest players in the program's history. She reminds me a lot of our current captain, Brooke Cusumano, and that's a great compliment."
McGiles played her prep golf at Carl Sandburg High School, a team that made the Illinois High School State Tournament three-straight times. McGiles qualified as an individual in 2016 and played in her fourth-straight state finals this season. Her family has SIU roots, as her father graduated from SIU and her cousin is currently a Saluki. She plans to study physical therapy when she gets on campus next year.
Rosemarie Bundy is the third and final signing of the 2017-18 class. Bundy played at St. Charles East High School in St. Charles, Illinois. She played golf as well as basketball during her prep career.
"She's unassumingly good," Mihelich said. "She's the natural athlete in the group.  I love recruiting high school basketball players because they understand what it means to be a good teammate."
Bundy has had a lot of success in her individual career and is the 15th ranked player in Illinois' 2017 class. She finished in the top-10 in 10 tournaments throughout the summer of 2016 and won two including the Player's Challenge #5 at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club. It was that tournament when Mihelich originally saw the St. Charles native play.
"When it comes to golf she is your dark horse," Mihelich said. "When she becomes a little more consistent, she will be right there in the mix of the traveling five."
Like Russell, Bundy will study radio, television and digital media at SIU.
