Hannah Gasaway
It is a hard balance between choosing a Division I program or going the NAIA route. One offers seemingly instant fame while the other provides a lower-key environment that fosters a stronger sense of community.
The latter is what Union Grove golfer Hannah Gasaway wanted. It’s what she will get at Dalton State, the North Georgia college she verbally committed to last month.
“I like the whole small town feel,” said Gasaway, who has lived in McDonough since she was 2.
“It’s 20 minutes away from Chattanooga but I will still have that.”
The rising senior had returned from the Lady Wolverines’ trip to the state championship with varying levels of interest from schools like Kennesaw State and the University of West Georgia — NCAA schools all athletes dream of attending on scholarship.
But there’s more freedom when it comes to choosing a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics college like Dalton State. More wiggle room on the financial front and less strict recruiting rules make it an attractive option for many students looking to receive both a good education and play at a competitive level.
So when it came down to making a decision, it wasn’t about D-I status for Gasaway. She just wanted to find somewhere in-state that aligned with her views of golf and at the same time nurtured a good team bond.
That’s where the Roadrunners excelled.
“At Kennesaw State, I wouldn’t be able to fit in,” Gasaway said. “I went to West Georgia and the team wasn’t my type. But at Dalton State, the girls are like me. I could fit in better there.”
Don’t think that because the program is in its infancy that Gasaway won’t have Division I level facilities. She’s excited to play at The Farm, one of the best private golf courses in the state if not the whole region. She’ll have access to a PGA specialist chiropractor.
It helps, too, that Dalton State, in all its newness to the NAIA circuit, already has two national champion golfers and a pair of conference championships.
If a first-year program accomplished that much, it can only be a sign for good things to come when Gasaway gets the chance to step on campus a year from now.
Now that she’s got a college commitment under her belt, Gasaway can focus on her next goals — winning a Southeast Junior Golf tournament and playing at an American Junior Golf tournament.
For someone who waited until the summer before she started high school to pick up a club and play competitively for the first time, Gasaway’s goals may seem lofty. But the golfer has already made many strides between now and ninth grade. What are a few more?