After three record setting seasons on the Pioneer women’s golf team, senior Emily Hoeper has accomplished a lot in her career.
The DU senior holds Pioneer records for scoring average in a season, career scoring average, and individual medalists honors. Hoeper has rewritten the DU record books, and this season looks to be no different.
Hoeper, one of only two seniors on the women’s golf roster, has started her last season just as one might expect from someone named to Golf World’s top 50 players to watch for this season.
She has finished in the top 14 in all three tournaments so far this year including a second place finish last week at the Heather Farr Memorial. Her 73.0 scoring average is a full stroke-and-half lower than last season’s record setting mark and she has moved into the No. 41 ranking in the country.
Hoeper has helped the Pioneers get off to the best start in school history, as they have won three straight tournaments and are ranked No. 4 in the country by Golfstat.
“This has been really fun,” said Hoeper of her team’s blistering start. “I never would have expected our team to win three tournaments in a row while I was here.”
At closer glance, it may not be that hard pressed to believe that the Pioneers could have this much success with Hoeper leading the way.
Hoeper, who began playing golf at age six, has seen success in her sport throughout her whole life.
A state champion as a sophomore in high school, Hoeper was highly recruited out of her home state of Missouri after being named the Midwest PGA Junior of the Year in 2000.
“I chose DU because I loved it here when I came on my visit,” said Hoeper. “I loved my coach and the team as well, but most of all I loved the whole atmosphere here at DU.”
In her very first season as a Pioneer, Hoeper became the first ever DU women’s golfer to win an individual medalist title when she won the Ron Moore Invitational. She had led the team with both a 75.08 scoring average and seven top-10s.
This was just the beginning for Hoeper, who set the DU single season scoring mark her sophomore year with a 74.94 average and was the low Pioneer in 10 of their 11 tournaments.
But, most impressively, Hoeper became the first DU golfer to win the individual Sun Belt Conference Championship, after she won a five-hole sudden death playoff.
Hoeper’s junior season saw her break even more DU records, as she became the first Pioneer to win back to back individual titles on her way to breaking her own scoring record.
“My career here has been above what I would have expected,”said Hoeper of her first three years at DU. “I never thought that I would have done and accomplished the things that I have.”
Fortunately for the Pioneers, there is still plenty left for Hoeper to accomplish this season.
Having never made it to nationals, Hoeper and her team are determined to break through this year.
“Our main goal this year is to win our conference and make it to nationals,” said Hoeper of her highly ranked team.
Behind Hoeper’s leadership, the goal should be attainable.
“Emily is a quiet leader, who leads by example,” Pioneer Head Coach Sammie Chergo said. “She adds a steadiness to our team, which helps a lot.”
Hoeper also said that she would like to earn All-America honors this season, which is one of the very few individual accolades this three time All-SBC selection has yet to achieve.
Hoeper hopes that after DU she can work in public relations for a sports organization, but hasn’t fully ruled out continuing to play golf competitively.
She and her team will try for their fourth straight win of the season when they play in the Lady Aztec Fall Classic in Chula Vista, Calif. on Oct. 16.
