April 11, 2012

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s golf coach Kalen Harris announced the addition of Mary Fran Hillow (Orlando, Fla.) to the Gamecocks’ 2012 signing class on Wednesday.

Hillow signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Gamecocks in the fall, joining early signees Sarah Schmelzel and Kaitlin Matheson to make up this year’s class.

“I am excited for Mary Fran to be joining our squad,” Harris said. “Mary Fran has played numerous tournaments at the state and national levels, as well as capturing several tournament victories. She is a player who has really come on strong in the last year or so, and I feel that we are just beginning to see what Mary Fran is capable of. She is a very dedicated and disciplined student-athlete, and I am looking forward to assisting her in achieving her individual and team goals. She will be a great addition to our program.”

Hillow will come to Columbia after a stellar career at Lake Highland Preparatory in Orlando, Fla., where she earned first team All-Central Florida honors in 2011 and second team honors in both 2009 and 2010. As a freshman in 2008, she played at Visitation Academy in St. Louis, Mo., and helped lead her team the Missouri state title. On the national scene, Hillow has proven to be among the best in 2011-12 as she has compiled 11 top-10 finishes, including eight top-five showings with two of those being wins. She claimed the Future Collegians World Tour Plantation Championship in February and won the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour Mid-Season Championship in June. Hillow is also a standout in the classroom as she is a member of the National Junior Honor Society, the National Honor Society and the National Spanish Society.

Hillow joins a South Carolina program that is vying to make its fifth straight NCAA Regional appearance and fourth NCAA Championship appearance under Harris.