Oklahoma State University Athletics
Photo by: USGA Museum
Cowgirls In the Profession - Part 1
October 05, 2021 | Cowgirl Golf
Featuring Kenzie Neisen (2014-2018)
Throughout the year, Oklahoma State women's golf will be featuring alumni and their numerous success stories off the golf course after they've left Stillwater and Oklahoma State in this new series titled, "Cowgirls In the Profession." Stay tuned during the upcoming year as the Cowgirls help showcase some of the best and brightest to have played at Karsten Creek and what profession they're finding success in now.
The first edition shines a light on Kenzie Neisen (2014-18).
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Oklahoma State women's golf has a long legacy of success on the course.
The Cowgirls have won 101 team tournament titles, had 94 individual tournament championships and have appeared in the NCAA Championship 22 times with 30 All-America honors.
But at the heart of OSU's success is its ability to provide its student-athletes with the tools needed to be successful long after leaving their clubs behind as they head into the professional world.
During her time in Stillwater, Kenzie Neisen became just the second player in Big 12 history to win back-to-back individual championships during her sophomore season and eventually earned three straight All-Big 12 Championship team honors.
Initially, Neisen admittedly knew very little about the program and the university. Originally from New Prague, Minn., who could blame her?
But after her research into the school and team, as well as three visits to make sure this was the place for her, she knew she was at home in Stillwater.
"I loved every minute that I had when I played for Oklahoma State," Neisen said. "I was really fortunate with the teammates that I had all four years there. I think we had a very special group of girls, had a lot of talent."
While the lure of Karsten Creek and the opportunity to compete at the highest level at one of the nation's top golf schools was certainly a draw to Oklahoma State, Neisen also recognized all along what she was looking for when she was trying to decide which school to attend.
"Before I decided where I wanted to go to school, the academic part was very important to me," she said. "Being recruited and seeing how important it was to the coaches and how they wanted there to also be a high level of success off the golf course, as well, I really liked that aspect of it. They wanted us to do well on the golf course and in the classroom."
Neisen quickly found success in the classroom and sustained it on her way to earning a WCGA All-American Scholar award and was named to the Academic All-Big 12 team.
Toward the end of her collegiate career, her combined athletic and academic success left her with a big decision. Did she want to attend physician's assistant school or play professional golf? Cleary she could succeed at both, just not at the same time.
"That actually was a hard decision at the time," Neisen said. "I had my fifth year in school then actually got my card for the Symetra tour... I loved golf and I loved playing it, but I think my long-term goal of wanting to help people kind of helped me make that decision at the time…it was kind of exciting how many people were excited and proud of me for the decision I made."
So, Neisen attended and graduated from PA school in two years at the University of South Dakota.
"It was very challenging," she said. "Very busy. My nose was pretty much in a book 24/7. Our first year was all classroom work and then our second year was all clinical work. So, every five weeks I bounced around to a different place in South Dakota with a different specialty and different providers.
"That was a great opportunity. I got to meet a lot of awesome individuals. I did an orthopedic rotation in Sioux Falls and I ended up getting a job there."
Set to start in November at Sanford USD Medical Center, Neisen will work as a physician's assistant specializing in orthopedics and sports medicine. Once she hits the ground running in her new job, it will be the culmination of years of hard work and dreams she's had since she was young.
"Growing up I always knew I wanted to do something in medicine," she said.
In a lot of cases, most athletes won't have the opportunity to stick around sports once their time as an athlete has concluded. But, working as a PA in sports medicine will provide Neisen with a unique chance to continue to be involved in athletics and take her experiences with OSU golf and apply them to the future.
"I think about it a lot actually," she said. "That so many things that I experienced at Oklahoma State have helped me beyond that. When it comes to staying disciplined, working hard, being organized - that was a very big thing balancing school and athletics – and that carried over into PA school. Having very good time management and knowing the different resources and people I can talk to if I need help."
Looking back, Neisen without a doubt would go back in time and live her experience at OSU all over again and would have plenty of memories to go back to. But most of all, it's her time off the course she specifically looks back to.
"Obviously the athletic side of Oklahoma State was amazing for me to experience," she said. "Everyone was awesome. We had amazing facilities and support system. But I was once given a piece of advice when I was trying to figure out where to go to school – pick a school that you'd want to go to even if you weren't an athlete. And that's something that I always kept in the back of my mind.
"And I think of that even today, if I wasn't an athlete, I would have loved Oklahoma State just as much as I do now being an athlete. It was an incredible experience both on the golf course and off."
The first edition shines a light on Kenzie Neisen (2014-18).
----
Oklahoma State women's golf has a long legacy of success on the course.
The Cowgirls have won 101 team tournament titles, had 94 individual tournament championships and have appeared in the NCAA Championship 22 times with 30 All-America honors.
But at the heart of OSU's success is its ability to provide its student-athletes with the tools needed to be successful long after leaving their clubs behind as they head into the professional world.
During her time in Stillwater, Kenzie Neisen became just the second player in Big 12 history to win back-to-back individual championships during her sophomore season and eventually earned three straight All-Big 12 Championship team honors.
Initially, Neisen admittedly knew very little about the program and the university. Originally from New Prague, Minn., who could blame her?
But after her research into the school and team, as well as three visits to make sure this was the place for her, she knew she was at home in Stillwater.
"I loved every minute that I had when I played for Oklahoma State," Neisen said. "I was really fortunate with the teammates that I had all four years there. I think we had a very special group of girls, had a lot of talent."
While the lure of Karsten Creek and the opportunity to compete at the highest level at one of the nation's top golf schools was certainly a draw to Oklahoma State, Neisen also recognized all along what she was looking for when she was trying to decide which school to attend.
"Before I decided where I wanted to go to school, the academic part was very important to me," she said. "Being recruited and seeing how important it was to the coaches and how they wanted there to also be a high level of success off the golf course, as well, I really liked that aspect of it. They wanted us to do well on the golf course and in the classroom."
Neisen quickly found success in the classroom and sustained it on her way to earning a WCGA All-American Scholar award and was named to the Academic All-Big 12 team.
Toward the end of her collegiate career, her combined athletic and academic success left her with a big decision. Did she want to attend physician's assistant school or play professional golf? Cleary she could succeed at both, just not at the same time.
"That actually was a hard decision at the time," Neisen said. "I had my fifth year in school then actually got my card for the Symetra tour... I loved golf and I loved playing it, but I think my long-term goal of wanting to help people kind of helped me make that decision at the time…it was kind of exciting how many people were excited and proud of me for the decision I made."
So, Neisen attended and graduated from PA school in two years at the University of South Dakota.
"It was very challenging," she said. "Very busy. My nose was pretty much in a book 24/7. Our first year was all classroom work and then our second year was all clinical work. So, every five weeks I bounced around to a different place in South Dakota with a different specialty and different providers.
"That was a great opportunity. I got to meet a lot of awesome individuals. I did an orthopedic rotation in Sioux Falls and I ended up getting a job there."
Set to start in November at Sanford USD Medical Center, Neisen will work as a physician's assistant specializing in orthopedics and sports medicine. Once she hits the ground running in her new job, it will be the culmination of years of hard work and dreams she's had since she was young.
"Growing up I always knew I wanted to do something in medicine," she said.
In a lot of cases, most athletes won't have the opportunity to stick around sports once their time as an athlete has concluded. But, working as a PA in sports medicine will provide Neisen with a unique chance to continue to be involved in athletics and take her experiences with OSU golf and apply them to the future.
"I think about it a lot actually," she said. "That so many things that I experienced at Oklahoma State have helped me beyond that. When it comes to staying disciplined, working hard, being organized - that was a very big thing balancing school and athletics – and that carried over into PA school. Having very good time management and knowing the different resources and people I can talk to if I need help."
Looking back, Neisen without a doubt would go back in time and live her experience at OSU all over again and would have plenty of memories to go back to. But most of all, it's her time off the course she specifically looks back to.
"Obviously the athletic side of Oklahoma State was amazing for me to experience," she said. "Everyone was awesome. We had amazing facilities and support system. But I was once given a piece of advice when I was trying to figure out where to go to school – pick a school that you'd want to go to even if you weren't an athlete. And that's something that I always kept in the back of my mind.
"And I think of that even today, if I wasn't an athlete, I would have loved Oklahoma State just as much as I do now being an athlete. It was an incredible experience both on the golf course and off."
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