FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (November 15, 2021) – Northern Arizona head golf coach
Brad Bedortha formally announced his 2022 signing class on Monday with the additions of Nina Lukyanenko (Moscow, Russia), Lizzie Neale (Nelson, New Zealand) and Ellena Slater (Kent, England). All three incoming signees will be freshmen next fall.
"I'm very excited for all of them," Bedortha said. "They're wonderful young ladies and excellent students in addition to being tremendous golfers. We're losing two golfers after this year, so we're looking to add more depth and talent to our roster. All three of them will step in from a competitive standpoint and help us immediately."
Lukyanenko will join
Aleksandra Chekalina and
Ekaterina Malakhova as Moscow natives on next year's roster. Currently ranked No. 591 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Lukyanenko most recently placed fifth at the Russian Cup in September. She also placed fifth at the Russian Junior Championship U18 and eighth at the Russian National Championship in August. Overall she has 10 top 10 finishes in 11 counting events over the last two years.
When she arrives next fall, Neale will be the first Lumberjack during Bedortha's tenure from New Zealand. Since the start of 2021, Neale has won four district events including setting a new course record of 67 at the Kina Open in May as well winning the national South Island U19 Championship in April. Neale also tied for seventh at the New Zealand U19 Championship last December and was runner-up at the 2021 NZ Foursomes tournament.
Slater comes to NAU having won the Kent Girls Under 18 championship three consecutive years from 2019-21, and this year she defended her title at even par. Playing in her home state of Kent, Slater was part of the Kent Country Women's team that placed second at the 2019 South Region Women's County match and the Kent Country Junior Girl's Team that placed second this year. She has already been selected as the captain of the Kent County Junior Girl's team next year.
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