The Saline Reporter
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Hoffman signs with Grand Valley State
Two-time individual state qualifier chooses golf over hoops
By Jerry Hinnen, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: July 3, 2008
Another Saline athlete is headed west to compete for the Grand Valley State Lakers.
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This time the ex-Hornet in question will do so on the golf course, as the recently graduated Sarah Hoffman committed to join GVSU's women's golf program.
Hoffman is the only Laker recruit in the program's 2008 class.
"It's very exciting," Hoffman said. "(Grand Valley's) team has been very good the last couple of years. I wanted to go to a successful program and all the girls are really good friends.
"I'm hoping I'll be able to go in and make a difference."
Under the tutelage of head coach Lori Stinson, the Lakers finished third at the NCAA Division II national championships in May.
A two-sport star who led the Saline girls' basketball team in scoring in 2007-2008, as well as qualifying individually for each of the last two Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 1 state finals, Hoffman admitted she was "unsure" initially whether she wanted to pursue golf or hoops at the collegiate level.
But eventually the interest from Stinson — who had gotten a tip on Hoffman from the father of one of Hoffman's practice-mates last summer and scouted Hoffman first-hand at states — won Hoffman over.
It didn't hurt, Hoffman said, that she was interested in attending a liberal arts school like Grand Valley.
"I'm not sure what I'm going to major in, but it's a nice school and they've got a ton of different programs," she said. "Everyone seemed to be on the same page when I visited."
Despite the quality of the Laker program, Hoffman is hopeful she can build on her top-20 finish at last fall's state finals and contribute immediately when the NCAA season starts next spring.
"I'll definitely have to work hard," she said. "But I'm playing a lot of tournaments and I think my competitiveness will help. Hopefully, I'll be ready."
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