2001-02 Recruiting NewsMeredith Johnson (Fargo, N.D./North) has signed a national letter-of-intent to attend and play women's golf at Ferris State University, starting with the 2001 fall season. Second-year head coach Brad Bedortha made the announcement.Johnson, a 2000 North Dakota Senior Golfer of the Year nominee, attained all-state, all-region and all-Eastern Dakota Conference honors in both her junior (1999) and senior (2000) seasons. "I'm extremely excited with Meredith's decision," Bedortha said. "We're fortunate to get someone with her talent. She will benefit our program significantly because of her exceptional golf skills but also due to her personality. "Meredith understands and has grown accustomed to the high level of golf which we play. I believe she's yet another key to the piece of the puzzle for us in becoming national championship contenders," added Bedortha, the 2001 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Women's Golf Coach of the Year. A two-time team Most Valuable Player, Johnson recorded an 80.3 stroke average in her senior season while compiling four second-place individual finishes and three third-place performances. As a member of head coach Jay Erickson's team, Johnson helped Fargo North High School to a second-place showing at the 2000 state championships after placing third at the 1998 and 1999 state tournaments . The 2000 team captain, Johnson was selected the Spartans' Most Improved Player for the 1997 and 1999 campaigns. As a junior, Johnson registered an 80.6 average while earning top medalist honors in one tournament. She also competed on the squad, which posted a state-record two-round 665 (313-333) stroke total in tourney play. Johnson, who earned five letters apiece in both golf and tennis (1996-01), participated in the Optimist International Junior Golf Championship (July 2000) at Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Johnson, a current member of the National Honor Society, also served on the Activities Leadership Council (1998-99) while holding school membership in the Key Club (1998-00) and Spanish Club (2000-01). The daughter of Craig and Julie Johnson, Meredith plans to major in professional golf management at Ferris State. Her older sister (Lindsay) recently completed her sophomore season this spring as a member of the University of North Dakota's women's golf team. Ferris State is presently participating in the 2001 NCAA Division II Women's Golf Championships (May 16-19) at Rock Hill, S.C. The Bulldogs are making their third-ever national tourney appearance in the program's history. |