@IlliniMGolf Inks Four for 2016
November 11, 2015 | Men's Golf
Mike Small Signs Four to NLIs for 2016
Champaign, Ill. - The Fighting Illini men's golf program and head coach Mike Small announced the addition of four talented signees to the 2016 team roster as Bryan Baumgarten, Michael Feagles, Ryoto Furuya and Giovanni Tadiotto signed national letters of intent to play for the Illini on Nov. 11.
"We're excited to have all four of these successful junior golfers join our program next fall," head coach Mike Small said. "They are all coming from different areas of the country, and of the world, but they all share a common desire to play for Illinois and represent this university at the highest level. With their best golf ahead of them, I know they are excited to get on campus next year and begin to build their own legacy within the Illinois Golf program, and we're looking forward to helping them achieve their goals."
Bryan Baumgarten // Granite Bay, Calif. // Granite Bay High School
Achievements: Qualified for the round of 32 at the U.S. Junior Amateur…U.S. Amateur qualifier…San Francisco City Amateur Semifinalist…2015 Sacramento City Easter Junior Champion…2014 Cal Invitational Champion…Len Ross Sportsmanship Award winner…All City Sports Award winner…Granite Bay High School Scholar Athlete honoree.
Coach Small's take: "We're very excited to welcome Bryan to our program. He has quickly risen into the national spotlight this summer. He is a very positive and fundamentally sound young player, and his best golf lies in front of him."
Michael Feagles // Scottsdale, Ariz. // Brophy College Prep
Achievements: AJGA Third-Team All-America selection…Took second at the Arizona High School State Championship…Won the USGA Junior Amateur qualifier…Arizona Stroke Play Champion…Took second at the AJGA Heather Farr Classic…Earned a top-10 finish at the AJGA Thunderbird International…Ranked 33 in the Polo Golf Rankings and eighth in the class of 2016…Took third at the AJCA TPC-Southwind.
Coach Small's take: "Michael is not afraid to challenge himself. He has played a competitive national schedule for a few summers, and now he wants to bring his game to Illinois, a place that will challenge him in the form of a new culture and climate. Michael has a strong determination to be a successful player."
Ryoto Furuya // Alpharetta, Ga. // International Connections Academy
Achievements: 2015 Southern Amateur Qualifier Medalist…Top-10 finisher at the Optimist International Championship…2014 IJGT Champion and 2015 IJGT Championship runner-up…Placed among the top-10 at the AJGA Open at Innsbrook…2014 Scott Robertson Memorial runner-up…Two-time Saddlebrook Prep Golfer of the Year…Two-time Saddlebrook Prep Athlete of the Year…Saddlebrook Prep Academic Award winner.
Coach Small's take: "Ryoto is a strong, fundamentally sound golfer with unlimited raw potential. He is a soft-spoken, yet dynamic player. I expect him to blossom and grow very positively in this culture."
Giovanni Tadiotto // Belgium // College du Christ Roi
Achievements: Belgian International Boys (U18) Champion…Finished among the top-15 at the 2015 European Nations Cup…Top-15 finisher at the 2014 Junior Orange Bowl International…Competed in the 2015 Dutch Junior Open…Earned a top-25 finish at the European Boy's Team Championship…Belgian International Amateur qualifier…Earned consecutive top-5 finishes at the European Young Masters.
Coach Small's take: "Giovanni continues our tradition of Belgian players. He has proven that he can play with the best players in Europe and we're excited that he is coming to America to pursue his education and his golf."
