Dec. 3, 2009

Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina head men's golf coach Gorham Bradley today announced the signing of three student-athletes to National Letters of Intent (NLI). Jack Walsh (Lawrenceville, Ga. / Peachtree Ridge HS), Collin Witiak (Columbia, S.C. / Dutch Fork HS) and Michael Fitzgerald (Flossmoor, Ill. / Homewood-Flossmor HS) each inked NLI's to play golf for the Catamounts beginning next fall.

"We are absolutely thrilled with the 2010 recruiting class for our golf program. They each bring a wealth of experience and success at the National Junior Golf Level," said Bradley. "By graduating five seniors off of this year's team, this recruiting class will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact in our golf program. We look forward to their arrival next fall and welcoming them to the Catamount family."

As a junior, Walsh led the way for Peachtree Ridges' 5-A Georgia State High School Championship team. He also had an incredibly successful summer with a highlighted second-place finish at the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Aldila Invitational. His success earned him an invite to the AJGA Footjoy Invitational, one of the most prestigious junior events in the country.

Witiak, who is currently the 11th-ranked junior player in the state of South Carolina, will enter the Catamount golf program with a long list of impressive tournament results. The highlight of his play last summer was becoming the 60th Carolina's Junior Champion, firing rounds of 67-73-74 to edge out the best juniors in both North and South Carolina. He additionally posted runner-up finishes at the 2009 Jimmy Self and Junior Rice Planters Championships, while also participating in the 2009 Carolinas/Virginia matches.

In his prep career at Dutch Fork HS, Witiak has been All-Region three-straight years, named All-State as a junior and part of three-consecutive, 4-A State Championship teams.

Fitzgerald, a native of Flossmoor, Ill., in the suburbs of Chicago, rounds out WCU's 2010 signing class. He finished fifth in the Illinois State Junior tournament with rounds of 72, 76, and 73. He additionally finished fifth at the 21st Will County Amateur Championship played at the Balmoral Woods Country Club in Crete, Ill., back in April of 2009. The event was actually won by Dallas Cowboy's quarterback, Tony Romo. Fitzgerald carded rounds of 73 and 72 for a 36-hole score of 145.

Western Carolina returns to the links in the spring, opening at the Wexford Invitational, hosted by Francis Marion at the Wexford Plantation in Hilton Head, S.C., February 21-23.