All Roads Lead to OSU for Caley McGinty

After earning Women's Golf Coaches Association All-America Second Team honors at Kent State, junior transfer Caley McGinty has quickly become a valuable member of the Cowgirl lineup.

Her love for golf started at 7 years old, when after a little coaxing from her older brother she first picked up a set of clubs.

McGinty has represented England in amateur golf since 2019, including being chosen to represent Great Britain and Ireland in the 41^st Curtis Cup and Team England at the 2021 Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship, a dream she has had since childhood.

"The Curtis Cup was a goal of mine since I was 10 years old." McGinty said. "A girl from my home course back home played it in 2010. I looked up to her so much and I knew that's what I wanted to do one day too."

OSU head coach Greg Robertson recruited McGinty twice, first while she was still in high school in Bristol, England and Robertson was at Kent State, but after she committed to Kent State, Robertson became head coach at OSU.

"We signed her at Kent State and never got the chance to coach her," Robertson said. "We signed her here and it'll be fun to have her … we're looking forward to her being a part of the team."

McGinty spent two seasons at Kent State and finished the 2020-21 season with the sixth-lowest scoring average in Kent State history and led the program to their 22^nd consecutive Mid-American Conference Championship title.

Transferring wasn't something on McGinty's mind after her sophomore season but, after Maja Stark turned professional, McGinty saw an opportunity to join the Cowgirl lineup and play for Robertson.

Robertson and Assistant Coach Maddi Swaney got the opportunity to recruit McGinty a second time and were able to bring her to Oklahoma State because of the relationship they built with her several years prior.

"I knew the coaches before because they recruited me for Kent State so there was a familiarity there," McGinty said. "Just the team culture that they have here [Oklahoma State], everyone is very competitive. I knew I was going to be pushed by the players around me and the support, it's like a family here and that's the reason why I chose Oklahoma State."

She joined OSU with an impressive resumé, which includes Mid-American Conference Golfer of the Year and Freshman of the Year, All-MAC Tournament Team, three individual tournament titles and five top-10 finishes.

Beyond the coaches, Oklahoma State is a unique place in regard to the culture both within the golf program and the university as a whole. The feeling of being a part of the Cowboy family was something McGinty immediately noticed.

"Every person on the team supports each other," McGinty said. "If there's an individual competing in a tournament, we all go and watch or if I'm playing in a tournament and doing well, they'll come and support us. You just constantly feel supported and uplifted by everyone around you. It's very very special."

McGinty took no time in becoming a standout player in the Cowgirl lineup, winning two individual titles in three tournament appearances this fall and Big 12 Player of the Month honors for the month of September.

"I think it's a testament to how welcoming everybody's been here to me," McGinty said. "Change is hard for anybody, but everybody has been so warm and friendly, it just makes it easy to go and play good golf."

As far as goals for the rest of the season and her time at Oklahoma State, Caley McGinty is aiming high but staying true to herself and her love of the game.

"I want to get invited to Augusta next year, that's my biggest thing," McGinty said. "But as far as tournaments go, I like to go out there and have fun, I don't like to think about winning or anything like that. It's just about going out there and having fun and working hard."

Oklahoma State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Maja Stark

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