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Georgia Southern Golfer Leaves Behind Records, Trophies after Final Year with Team
Fifth-year senior Ella Ofstedahl (’20 ’21) wasn’t sure about Statesboro when she first enrolled at Georgia Southern University to play golf. However, after an illustrious career that includes a Sun Belt Conference Championship and the lowest round ever recorded by a female golfer at Georgia Southern, the Stevenage, England, native is proud to call Georgia Southern her home away from home.
“I felt lonely when I first came here with being so far away from home, but the golf team and Georgia Southern very quickly became my home away from home,” Ofstedahl said. “The Georgia Southern community is so supportive. In terms of golf, it has just been a great opportunity to grow as a player and a person.”
Ofstedahl, who shot a school record 66 during the 2019-20 season, is heading back to England now that her time at Georgia Southern is done. However, she’s not finished with golf. Ofstedahl graduated with two Bachelor of Science degrees, one in sport management and one in psychology in 2020 and 2021, respectively. She hopes she can use her degrees to keep the sport she loves a part of her professional life.
“I am unsure of where my career will take me, but the thing I know for sure is that golf will always play an important role in whatever I do,” she said. “I would love to work in the business operations side of tournaments or actually go into sport psychology. I know how mentally challenging this sport can be, so helping others any way I can sounds like something I would love.”
Ofstedahl said her coaches at Georgia Southern helped her overcome the mental challenges she faced on the course. She consistently got better through her five years as an Eagle, winning a tournament in each of her last three seasons.
The moment that means the most to Ofstedahl, however, is her win at the 2018-19 Sun Belt Conference Championship, but not just because she finished first.
“This accomplishment means so much to me not only because it was my first collegiate win, but because it was the first event that my family had been able to fly out and watch,” Oftstedahl said. “It was really special to have them by my side as I won, and it will be something I remember forever.”
Ofstedahl is leaving behind a team full of her friends as she travels back to England. While she will only be able to cheer them on from the sidelines, Ofstedahl said she is confident that with all of their talent, the team will be successful in the years to come.
“This team is so special,” she said. “The girls were a huge part of why I decided to come back for my fifth year, and I will always cherish the time that I have had with them. They are all so talented and I am genuinely excited to see them excel. I know they are all so capable of getting some team and individual wins. I know they will always motivate and encourage each other to work hard, so I don’t think it’s a question of if they’ll be successful, it’s when.”
— Kyle Dawson