MIAMI SHORES, Fla.—Patti Rizzo’s fifth recruiting class may be her best so far as the Barry University coach welcomes a pair of golfers to the women’s program for 2008-09.
Jackie Fernandez and Lizzi Over join a Buccaneer squad which has advanced to the NCAA Regional Tournament six times in the last seven years.
“I am very excited about my recruiting class for this year,” Rizzo said. “I have recruited two very talented young ladies who I am sure will be real assets to the team. They are both what my athletic director always asks for: smart and talented!!! With Jackie, Lizzi and my strong existing team, we hope to go all the way next year.”
Fernandez is one of the top junior golfers in the state of Florida. She led her Ida Baker High Bulldogs to an 84-3 dual match record in four years, taking the individual medalist in 84 of the 87 matches. She led the team to Lee County Athletic Conference titles in 2006 and 2007 and earned first-team All-Area from the Naples News-Press from 2005-07.
She is the 2006 and 2008 News-Press Leadership Amateur champion and also won the Palmetto Club championship in 2006 and 2008. She has three wins on the Junior Players’ Tour since December.
Over hails from Lincolnshire, England where she carries a 2.7 handicap. She currently plays for Forest Pines Golf Club, where she set a course record for her age group with a 70 this year. She won the Lincolnshire Girls U18 championship in 2005 and 2007 and took the Midlands Champion of Champions event with another 70.
In the English Girls U18 Championships last year, she finished tied for sixth in the stroke play qualifier and reached the quarterfinals of match play. She led John Leggott Sixth Form College to a silver medal in the 2008 British Colleges National tournament and took home the individual silver medal as well.
