BYU announces two new women's golf recruits

PROVO -- With the signing period now complete, the BYU women's golf team has announced the addition of two familiar faces to next year's squad.

Recruits Natalie Newren and Margaret Gibby, both have sisters who currently play on BYU's women's golf team.

"With these two new recruits we could have the best depth of any team I've ever coached," BYU women's golf coach Gary Howard said. "Natalie and Margaret are very talented. There are going to create some real battles for the top five spots next year."

Newren, sister of current Cougar Freshman Nicole Newren, is one of the top recruits in the western United States after impressive showings at several prestigious junior golf tournaments this past summer. She finished 19th at this year's Junior World Tournament and 9th at the 2000 PGA National Tournament.

Newren is a senior at Cottonwood H.S. in Salt Lake City, Utah and has been playing golf since she was 12 years old. Along with BYU, she recieved scholarship offers from Tennessee, New Mexico, Weber State and Ohio State.

"I chose BYU because I could be in a good environment and play close to home and with my sister," Newren said.

BYU's second sister act, Gibby, is a sister of junior Adrianne Gibby. The younger Gibby was one stroke away from claiming last year's Arizona state high school golf championship. Gibby is from Scottsdale, Arizona and will be graduating from Chaparral H.S. She qualified for Junior World in 2000 and placed second at the 2000 Junior Championship Match Play Tournament of Arizona.

"I'm really excited about playing for BYU because I felt strongly that it was the best place for me," Gibby said.