RICHMOND, Ky. - Eastern Kentucky University women's golf coach Joni Stephens has announced the signing of three outstanding young golfers for the 2000-2001 season.

The new incoming freshmen include Jennifer Sullivan and Brittany Rodgers who played for coach Andrew McConnell at Western Hills High School in Frankfort, KY, and Tamara Thompson who comes to Eastern from Gooding High School in Hagerman, Idaho.

Sullivan and Rodgers led Western Hills to a runnerup spot in the Kentucky High School Girls State Tournament this year, while Thompson won the Idaho state high school tournament as a junior and finished fourth this past season.

"I'm very excited to add these three students to our roster for next season," said Stephens. "They are all good athletes, work hard in the classroom and have been very involved in community and extracurricular activities."

Sullivan won medalist honors in the recent Kentucky Independent Agents Junior Tournament and placed second in the Generation Next Lassing Pointe Tournament.

Other tourney accomplishments for Sullivan include being selected to the Kentucky Challenge Cup Team; winning the Juniper Hills Ladies Golf Championship and the Connemara Golf Links Junior Invitational; tieing for first in the Fuzzy Zoeller Invitational; and tieing for second in the Falls of the Rough Tournament, all last summer.

"Jennifer is a strong player with good distance and accuracy and excellent tournament composure," said Stephens. "Her passion for the game is going to make her a key player for the EKU Colonels."

Rodgers finished ninth this summer in the Generation Next Lassing Pointe Tournament. Last summer, she was sixth in the MaxFli PGA Junior Championship and sixth in the Generation Next Frankfort Tournament, and was a member of the winning team in the Fuzzy Zoeller Invitational.

"Brittany struggled last year because of a prolonged bout of mononucleosis, but I'm confident that her strong fundamentals, good work ethic and positive attitude will make her a productive member of the EKU golf team," said Stephens.

Thompson has finished first and third in two IJGA Golf Tournaments; second in the Junior World Qualifier in Idaho; third in the RMSPGA Junior Tour Event; fourth in the USGA Public Links Qualifier in Boise, ID; fifth in the IJGA championship; and fifth, just missing the cut, in the Junior America's Cup Qualifier.

"Tamara is also a strong player with excellent distance and a good putting stroke," said Stephens. "The combination of her tournament experience and her desire for success will allow her to become a top player for our golf team."