Women’s golfer has breakout spring for after sophomore year setbacks By MADI ALLEY The Breeze

Junior Haley Quickel didn’t play in a match for JMU women’s golf in her sophomore season.

“She’ll probably be mad at me for saying this, but they [scores] weren’t up to her standards,” Tommy Baker, women’s golf head coach, said. “She wasn’t happy with them, she was struggling with a lot of things. I demanded a lot from her, but I wanted her to fit into the mold.”

Then, the switch flipped.

In the Dukes’ first tournament of the 2022-23 season, the junior carded back-toback career-best rounds. Quickel shot 7170-71 across her three rounds at the Yale Invitational on Sept. 11, 2022. She led the Dukes and placed T-4 out of all golfers.

“When she’s playing aggressively and swinging freely, she plays wonderful, wonderful golf for us,” Baker said.

Quickel has become a consistent and key producer for the Dukes this season, racking up four straight top-20 finishes this season.

“The way she’s played this season has been huge,” redshirt senior Kate Owens said.

“The evolution of her from her freshman year to now, I think speaks volumes to the commitment she has to her game and just getting better.”

Quickel placed her personal best this spring at the Ironwood Invitational on April 4. She went 71-73-72 across three rounds to place T-9 alongside Owens. Quickel’s finish within the top 10 helped JMU secure its third first-place finish this season.

The biggest jump in Quickel’s game this season has been within her putting, she said.

“She’s making more four- to 10-foot, even 15-foot putts than any person I’ve seen in a long time,” Baker said. “It’s something we’ve worked on a lot, and something she worked on incredibly hard this offseason. When you

Finishing her shot, junior Haley Quickel follows through and judges her ball placement. Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics

can make those 10-15 footers to save a par on a bad hole or there’s 10-to-15 footers for a birdie, it really makes a big difference overall.”

Quickel’s improvements this season are a result of an intentional shift in how Baker and assistant coach Kendall Aherns have let her take the reins when competing on the course.

“This year, my assistant and I really tried to let her play freely,” Baker said. “Let her go out there and be herself, embrace her personality and on the golf course, which is aggressive.”

The junior’s aggression and competitive nature embedded within her style of play translates into her willingness to take risks on the course, Owens said.

“Haley pulls off the craziest stuff I’ve ever seen in my life,” Owens shared. “She’ll get herself into trouble, but somehow get right out. If you’re playing behind her, you’ll see her somewhere crazy and then she’ll make par. It just doesn’t surprise you.”

Both on and off the green, Baker said

Quickel adds a quirky dimension to the Dukes.

“She’s definitely the comedian who keeps everything light,” Baker said. “It takes a lot of the edge off in between the rounds.”

Owens echoed Baker, emphasizing Quickel’s ability to soften things up with her witty demeanor.

“She just speaks her mind and it’s absolutely hilarious,” Owens said. “Some of the stuff that comes out of her mouth just gets the whole team laughing.”

The Dukes will continue to count on Quickel and her competitive edge and comedic relief in her senior season next fall.

“I want to make sure that I’m putting in my all every day, because if I don’t, then I’m not giving everything that I can to get better,” Quickel said.

CONTACT Madi Alley at alleyml@dukes. jmu.edu. For more women’s golf coverage, follow the sports desk on Twitter @TheBreezeSports.