Women's golf signs three for 2009-2010 season

The Arizona State women's golf team has signed three future Sun Devils for their 2009 recruiting class, announces seventh year head coach Melissa Luellen. Jennifer Johnson of La Quinta, Calif., Alessia Knight of Bologna, Italy and Larissa Eruera of New Zealand have all signed National Letters of Intent to study and compete at Arizona State.

Jennifer Johnson will come to ASU as one of the top American juniors. The California native is currently the top ranked American junior in the 2009 class. She won the prestigious Rolex Tournament of Champions this past summer and is currently ranked third of all junior golfers by the American Junior Golf Association. Johnson, who is currently a senior at Desert Christian High School, also recently took first at the California Women's Amateur Championship.

"Jennifer has had a fantastic junior career and we are very excited she is coming to Arizona State," says Luellen. "She is an excellent student and will make an immediate impact on our team."

Attending ASU marks a dream come true for Knight. The dual citizen of Italy and the United States has been a Sun Devil since birth as her father is a former Sun Devil football player. Knight competed for Italy alongside freshman Giulia Molinaro in this year's World Amateur.

"It has been Alessia's lifelong dream to come to Arizona State," says Luellen. "She has done the pitchfork since she could form her fingers and has Sparky embroidered on the seat covers of her car. It's nice to have someone that wants to come here so bad and can back it up with good talent."

The Sun Devils final 2009 recruit is Eruera. The New Zealander won the 2006 New Zealand Amateur Championship and was a semi-finalist this past season. She has represented New Zealand in multiple international tournaments.

"Larissa's name came on the scene late and we are very fortunate to get her," says Luellen. "Our personalities and sense of humor hit it off immediately and I was very impressed with her fundamentals. She is very excited to come here."

The Sun Devils ended the fall season ranked second in the NGCA/Golfworld poll. The Sun Devils will welcome their 2008 class in January as Carlota Ciganda and Giulia Molinaro will join the team. The team's first tournament of the 2009 spring season will be at the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge in Palos Verdes, Calif., February 9-11.