Andy Close
CALIFORNIA, Pa. – It was a different yet very enjoyable season for former Warren Area High School standout golfer and current Cal Vulcan Rachel Wilson.
(Cal U’s Rachel Wilson. Photo courtesy California University of Pennsylvania sports information.)
Wilson’s season was officially capped off by earning First Team All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference honors, the conference announced on Thursday.
“I thought the season went well,” Wilson said. “The season was definitely short this year as we missed our first tournament that we were supposed to host due to COVID. I got to play in the next three tournaments while one of them being the PSAC Championship. I missed my last two tournaments due to COVID as well.”
COVID has thrown a wrench into every aspect of our lives, and for college athletes, it meant they had to lose a season.
It certainly took some time for them to get back in the swing of things, so to speak, and Wilson was no different. That being said, getting back on the course and competing after missing a season brought with it not only success on the course, but a sense of happiness, as well as a return to normal.
“It was definitely great to get back to having a season after not being able to compete due to COVID. I was lucky enough to be able to play a lot of golf while I was home and traveling to Florida during the winter with my roommate and golf teammate to work on our games,” Wilson said. “It was definitely weird getting back to having to compete, not playing in tournaments for a while. It’s hard to get back into playing competition golf. When I was home and golfing I just tried to play matches against my dad and his friends and when I was in Florida I just tried to play matches against Colby (Roberts) my roommate and golf teammate.”
Her season began at the Charleston (West Virginia) Invitational, where she shot a pair of 78s to finish in a tie for seventh. That was followed by a trip to the Cottrell Invitational (West Chester), an event in which she finished in a tie for third out of 40 golfers.
She saved her best for last at the PSAC Championships, shooting a low round of 76 on her way to finishing tied for third out of 51 golfers. It was the third appearance in the PSAC Championships in her career, finishing in a tie for 16th and 14th, previously.
It all led to her all-conference honors after finishing second team and nabbing Freshman of the Year accolades in her previous seasons.
“I am very grateful to be recognized for my hard work,” she said. “I have watched my sister (Paige) and all the hard work she puts into everything and all the achievements she has gotten and it just made me put in extra work to improve my game to become the best I can be.”
Paige just recently wrapped up a stellar softball career for the Vulcans.
That relationship with her sister is a special one. Rachel saw how hard Paige worked to get back on the diamond after a serious injury, and, as Rachel puts it, her older sister brings out the best in her. And the two share a common interest, being highly competitive and successful athletes.
“This year has definitely brought me closer to my sister,” Rachel said. “We lived together this year and we just had more bonding time. It was amazing to see the work she put in to get back out on the field during her injury and COVID. Watching her brings out the best in me because she just loves the game so much and her leadership out on the field.
“Watching her helps me with my leadership on the golf team and her love for softball is the same kind of love I have for the game of golf. It is going to be different next year not having her there anymore, but my goal is to work even harder than she did and to make her proud.”
And she has that same love and support from her parents, Terry and Lorie.
“I can’t thank my parents enough for pushing me to become the best I can be,” Wilson said. “I would not be where I am now without them. My mom supports me so much even though she doesn’t know a whole lot about golf she has helped in many ways. My dad has helped me a lot by taking me places to golf and just helping me improve on my game all the time.”
