Oklahoma State University Athletics
Giving Your All: Angelica Pfefferkorn Driven For Spring Season and Beyond
January 31, 2024 | Cowgirl Golf
By: Ben Creider, Athletics Communications
Angelica Pfefferkorn has always given her all.Â
Pfefferkorn, a Cowgirl senior from Carmel, Indiana, has been set on chasing her goals since stepping foot in Stillwater. Now, entering her final semester with the Cowgirls, that sentiment remains the same, and the excitement for the spring couldn't be higher.
Finding Home
Pfefferkorn knew she found a home in Stillwater four years ago.Â
As a 2020 Indiana All-State selection, Pfefferkorn visited Kent State with head coach Greg Robertson and assistant coach Maddi Swaney, who won the MAC championship each year with the Golden Flashes. As Robertson and Swaney took over at Oklahoma State, they stayed in contact, and Pfefferkorn checked out Stillwater soon after.
The one caveat – there were no scholarships available.
"As soon as I came on campus, I felt like it was home, kind of the Midwest feel," Pfefferkorn said. "Everyone is super polite, friendly and nice. It's such a college town, and everyone here is such a big fan of OSU. Even when I travel, people are so excited about the school.
"The home feeling it had was a draw. Also, the practice facilities are unmatched and the history of this school and the golf program is also up there."
Enrolling as a walk-on, Pfefferkorn joined the Cowgirls during the 2020-21 season, starting in the team's first tournament at the Schooner Fall Classic and appearing in three more as an individual.
Pfefferkorn had made an impact early, and alongside Ashton Begley, Maddison Hinson-Tolchard and Jenna Solheim, were in Scottsdale as the Cowgirls made it to the final match play and placed a runner-up finish at the 2021 NCAA Championship.
"Coming off the semifinal round, the whole group ran into a group hug and chased each other down the greens," Pfefferkorn said. "We were so excited to be able to play that next day."
Following her sophomore season, she earned a scholarship with the Cowgirls.
No Limits
Pfefferkorn entered the final round of the fall with confidence.
After posting a pair of 70s rounds to open the Jim West Challenge, Pfefferkorn pushed to give everything she had in the final 18 at Kissing Tree Golf Club.
Starting on the 10th tee, she carded back-to-back birdies, with four in all, to enter the turn – she knew she had gotten into a rhythm.
"I was paying attention at first after the first nine holes," Pfefferkorn said. "I was thinking, 'Oh, I'm hitting well.' I wasn't really paying attention to how many birdies I made.
"Then, as I made the turn, I made another birdie. I knew more holes were coming up that were challenging, and there were also some I thought I could birdie."
She thought right.
Through her first five holes post-turn, Pfefferkorn collected three more birdies and sat at 6-under entering her final three holes.
"The last three holes I definitely was aware of where I was at, and I was still trying to make a few more birdies to close the round," Pfefferkorn said.
When the senior handed in her final scorecard, she posted a 6-under 66, marking the 13th lowest round vs. par and the 16th lowest round in OSU history since tracking became available in 1993.
After three years of making an impact outside of the lineup, Pfefferkorn played a pivotal role over the fall – appearing in all four tournaments, starting in three, with the Cowgirls.
"I didn't set expectations like 'I expect to be playing in the lineup every single tournament' when I came in. I put everything out there into qualifying and if it works out, I know I put everything I had into it. If it doesn't, I still gave everything I got.
"The fall was a huge motivator, and it showed what I was capable of. It has propelled me to practice very hard over the winter and made me very excited for the spring.
"It shows your limits; you can set some really high goals and reach for them."
Winter Break to White Coats
After a winter break of hitting the weight room and working indoors with her swing coach in Indiana, Pfefferkorn and the Cowgirls were ready to return to Stillwater.
"The first day everyone was back in town, we immediately texted the group chat and all wanted to hang out," Pfefferkorn said. "We all went and got dinner that night and talked about how all of our winter breaks were. Everyone is so supportive and we meet each other where we're at. We're all teammates, good friends on the golf course."
As Pfefferkorn enters her final spring with the Cowgirls, she has a sense of excitement stepping into the tee box.
"Before, I used to be pretty nervous," Pfefferkorn said. "Now, I'm just so excited. This is my last year. I'm giving everything all I have because after my senior year, most of my competitive golf is probably done."
As one of four Cowgirls from its runner-up team, she's embraced a leadership role on the team, helping get underclassmen into a routine and sharing her pre-tournament experiences with others.
"I talked with one of the freshmen, the first few tournaments, and she was pretty nervous, Pfefferkorn said. "The first two events, she's like, 'Angelica, how do you do this? Why am I so nervous? Does it get better?'Â
"I said, 'Yes, it gets better. It's all about confidence. You worked hard. You're here for a reason you wouldn't be here if there wasn't a purpose.'"
As the Cowgirls prepare for qualifiers for the Puerto Rico Classic, Pfefferkorn is working to continue to shoot low numbers and to keep focus around the greens. Regardless of who cracks the top five – the roster is one.
"All the girls, everyone's ready and excited for the spring. We're all supporting each other regardless of who's in the lineup and who's not. We all just want the best for the team and each other."
With her goals in sight to improve her consistency and scores over the spring, she'll be reaching for a new goal upon turning her tassel.
"The dream is medical school," Pfefferkorn said. "Right now, I'm planning to take a year to shadow doctors and maybe get some work in a hospital as a scribe or continuing research. I've done some research right now that I really like, and then go to medical school after that. So, that's the ultimate goal.
"I have a lot of interests. I really like interventional radiology and gastroenterology, those are the two right now."
From winter breaks to White Coat Ceremonies – Angelica Pfefferkorn continues to give her all.
Angelica Pfefferkorn has always given her all.Â
Pfefferkorn, a Cowgirl senior from Carmel, Indiana, has been set on chasing her goals since stepping foot in Stillwater. Now, entering her final semester with the Cowgirls, that sentiment remains the same, and the excitement for the spring couldn't be higher.
Finding Home
Pfefferkorn knew she found a home in Stillwater four years ago.Â
As a 2020 Indiana All-State selection, Pfefferkorn visited Kent State with head coach Greg Robertson and assistant coach Maddi Swaney, who won the MAC championship each year with the Golden Flashes. As Robertson and Swaney took over at Oklahoma State, they stayed in contact, and Pfefferkorn checked out Stillwater soon after.
The one caveat – there were no scholarships available.
"As soon as I came on campus, I felt like it was home, kind of the Midwest feel," Pfefferkorn said. "Everyone is super polite, friendly and nice. It's such a college town, and everyone here is such a big fan of OSU. Even when I travel, people are so excited about the school.
"The home feeling it had was a draw. Also, the practice facilities are unmatched and the history of this school and the golf program is also up there."
Enrolling as a walk-on, Pfefferkorn joined the Cowgirls during the 2020-21 season, starting in the team's first tournament at the Schooner Fall Classic and appearing in three more as an individual.
Pfefferkorn had made an impact early, and alongside Ashton Begley, Maddison Hinson-Tolchard and Jenna Solheim, were in Scottsdale as the Cowgirls made it to the final match play and placed a runner-up finish at the 2021 NCAA Championship.
"Coming off the semifinal round, the whole group ran into a group hug and chased each other down the greens," Pfefferkorn said. "We were so excited to be able to play that next day."
Following her sophomore season, she earned a scholarship with the Cowgirls.
No Limits
Pfefferkorn entered the final round of the fall with confidence.
After posting a pair of 70s rounds to open the Jim West Challenge, Pfefferkorn pushed to give everything she had in the final 18 at Kissing Tree Golf Club.
Starting on the 10th tee, she carded back-to-back birdies, with four in all, to enter the turn – she knew she had gotten into a rhythm.
"I was paying attention at first after the first nine holes," Pfefferkorn said. "I was thinking, 'Oh, I'm hitting well.' I wasn't really paying attention to how many birdies I made.
"Then, as I made the turn, I made another birdie. I knew more holes were coming up that were challenging, and there were also some I thought I could birdie."
She thought right.
Through her first five holes post-turn, Pfefferkorn collected three more birdies and sat at 6-under entering her final three holes.
"The last three holes I definitely was aware of where I was at, and I was still trying to make a few more birdies to close the round," Pfefferkorn said.
When the senior handed in her final scorecard, she posted a 6-under 66, marking the 13th lowest round vs. par and the 16th lowest round in OSU history since tracking became available in 1993.
After three years of making an impact outside of the lineup, Pfefferkorn played a pivotal role over the fall – appearing in all four tournaments, starting in three, with the Cowgirls.
"I didn't set expectations like 'I expect to be playing in the lineup every single tournament' when I came in. I put everything out there into qualifying and if it works out, I know I put everything I had into it. If it doesn't, I still gave everything I got.
"The fall was a huge motivator, and it showed what I was capable of. It has propelled me to practice very hard over the winter and made me very excited for the spring.
"It shows your limits; you can set some really high goals and reach for them."
Winter Break to White Coats
After a winter break of hitting the weight room and working indoors with her swing coach in Indiana, Pfefferkorn and the Cowgirls were ready to return to Stillwater.
"The first day everyone was back in town, we immediately texted the group chat and all wanted to hang out," Pfefferkorn said. "We all went and got dinner that night and talked about how all of our winter breaks were. Everyone is so supportive and we meet each other where we're at. We're all teammates, good friends on the golf course."
As Pfefferkorn enters her final spring with the Cowgirls, she has a sense of excitement stepping into the tee box.
"Before, I used to be pretty nervous," Pfefferkorn said. "Now, I'm just so excited. This is my last year. I'm giving everything all I have because after my senior year, most of my competitive golf is probably done."
As one of four Cowgirls from its runner-up team, she's embraced a leadership role on the team, helping get underclassmen into a routine and sharing her pre-tournament experiences with others.
"I talked with one of the freshmen, the first few tournaments, and she was pretty nervous, Pfefferkorn said. "The first two events, she's like, 'Angelica, how do you do this? Why am I so nervous? Does it get better?'Â
"I said, 'Yes, it gets better. It's all about confidence. You worked hard. You're here for a reason you wouldn't be here if there wasn't a purpose.'"
As the Cowgirls prepare for qualifiers for the Puerto Rico Classic, Pfefferkorn is working to continue to shoot low numbers and to keep focus around the greens. Regardless of who cracks the top five – the roster is one.
"All the girls, everyone's ready and excited for the spring. We're all supporting each other regardless of who's in the lineup and who's not. We all just want the best for the team and each other."
With her goals in sight to improve her consistency and scores over the spring, she'll be reaching for a new goal upon turning her tassel.
"The dream is medical school," Pfefferkorn said. "Right now, I'm planning to take a year to shadow doctors and maybe get some work in a hospital as a scribe or continuing research. I've done some research right now that I really like, and then go to medical school after that. So, that's the ultimate goal.
"I have a lot of interests. I really like interventional radiology and gastroenterology, those are the two right now."
From winter breaks to White Coat Ceremonies – Angelica Pfefferkorn continues to give her all.
Players Mentioned
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Friday, June 05
Friday, May 29
Wednesday, May 27
Monday, May 18
