Unlike many young athletes, BGSU Women’s Golf’s Ava O’Sullivan didn’t always know that college athletics were in her future.
“I kind of found it on my own,’ said O’Sullivan. “My parents didn’t play, and my mom kind of signed me up for a summer camp when I was 8 years old…and I enjoyed it, [which] they didn’t expect, so they decided to get lessons for [me] and it just sort of took off from there.”
After high school, O’Sullivan started her college career at Division II Converse College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. She quickly made a name for herself, becoming the first player to ever earn Conference Carolinas’ Golfer of the Week five different times, and finishing the season with the lowest scoring average in the conference.
Despite this, the college athletics experience wasn’t always fun and games for her.
“I accomplished a lot there, but it wasn’t a great atmosphere for me, so I decided to transfer,” said O’Sullivan.
Fortunately for O’Sullivan and BGSU, there was a connection already from her prior recruitment in head coach Erin Fahey.
“I was lucky enough that Coach Fahey wanted to take me in…As soon as you enter the transfer portal a lot of coaches reach out to you, and I actually knew Coach Fahey from prior recruitment, so her and I reconnecting didn’t take very long,” said O’Sullivan.
For the duo, it’s clear as day that the dynamic between coach and athlete is an improvement from O’Sullivan’s old situation.
“Ask her hard questions, don’t go easy on her!” Coach Fahey said, causing laughter from herself and O’Sullivan.
But even with the jokes, the play on the course is really solid.
The numbers couldn’t agree more.
So far this fall, the team has put up unprecedented numbers. BG has broken low score benchmarks several times this season, even improving on their own records subsequently.
But the accolades don’t stop there.
O’Sullivan herself has received Mid-American Conference player of the week honors, as well as pacing the field in several tournaments this year. She has broken individual BGSU records for scores across 18, 36, and 54 hole events (67, 137, 208- all at the Shirley Spork EMU Invitational).
“I’m really grateful for this season, because it’s allowed me to kind of learn to love golf again, and I’m surrounded by such amazing teammates and I play for such an amazing coach, and that has really brought out the best in me which I think is why as a team we’re playing phenomenal…and I think why I’m playing my best golf I’ve played in a while,” said O’Sullivan.
Though her talent and drive are clear, golfing as a career has never been on O’Sullivan’s mind.
“I’m a biochemistry major, and originally I decided I wanted to go to medical school, but I don’t know if that’s necessarily the track for me anymore,” said O’Sullivan. “A lot of people have come up to me and [told me I] should try turning pro, but that’s never been something I wanted to do. I don’t desire that lifestyle.”
In spite of that, she continues to pace the team in a historic season for their record books. Once just surviving in a subpar situation, O’Sullivan is thriving in her first season with the Falcons.
O’Sullivan and the rest of the women’s golf team concluded their fall tournaments on Oct. 23-24 at Wofford’s Terrier Intercollegiate Tournament, where O’Sullivan finished tied for 10th with a +8 score.
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