Dec. 3, 2007

COLUMBIA – South Carolina women’s golf coach Kristi Coggins announced that Katie Burnett (Brunswick, Ga./Brunswick), Cayci Ruppe (Gaffney, S.C./Gaffney) and Taylor Weaver (Spartanburg, S.C. / Dorman) have signed National Letters of Intent to attend the University and play golf for the Gamecocks. The group includes the 2006 Georgia PGA Player of the Year and the top two finishers at the 2007 South Carolina 4A State Tournament. All three players will have four years of eligibility beginning with the 2008-09 academic year.

“I am extremely proud of this class of signees,” Coggins said. “The talent and passion to win that these young ladies have will bring a future of championships to South Carolina.”

Burnett was the 2006 Georgia PGA Player of the Year and won the organization’s Stroke Average Award that year as well. She turned in first-place scores at the Georgia Peach, the Doublegate Junior Classic SJFT and the David A. Wall. Burnett also posted top-three finishes at the Hargray AJGA (2nd) and Rome AJGA (3rd). A Wendy’s Heisman Nominee in 2007, she helped the Burnswick Pirates to third-place finishes at the 2006 and 2007 regionals and holds the school records for lowest nine-hole and 18-hole scores.

A two-time all-state and all-region player, Ruppe finished second at the South Carolina State Tournament in 2007 with rounds of 77 and 73. She won her region tournament behind a career-low 67. Ruppe represented South Carolina in the South Carolina vs. Georgia Match Play event and finished second at the South Carolina Junior Match Play Championship and the Players Championship.

Weaver was the one golfer to top Ruppe at the state tournament to win the 2007 State 4A title after claiming the region championship in 2006. In both 2006 and 2007 she helped the Dorman Cavaliers to regional championships and runner-up finishes at the state tournament. A four-time all-state selection, she also earned all-region honors in 2006 and 2007. Weaver carded rounds of 72 and 67 to win the 2007 Spartanburg Women’s Country Amateur.

The trio will bolster a team that will graduate four seniors at the end of the 2007-08 season.