INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI Athletics Department and Head Women’s Golf Coach John Andrews announced the additions of seven student-athletes to compete in 2008-09. Andrews’ incoming freshman class will include Trisha Champ (Redkey, Ind./Jay County), Brittaney Cmehil (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown), Lisa Houseman (Grandville, Mich./Grandville), Lauren Kuss (Walkerton, Ind./Oregon-Davis), Brittney Miller (Connersville, Ind./Connersville), Kristi O’Brien (Fort Wayne, Ind./Bishop Luers) and Melanie Pray (Smyrna, Ga./Campbell).

"I’m really excited about the depth and talent level of this class," Andrews said. "We’ve got some really good athletes in this group. I love really good athletes. Plus, all of these girls seem to be very eager and very coachable young ladies."

Champ starred in both golf and softball at Jay County High School, earning four varsity letters in both sports. She carried a 79.8 stroke average her senior season and holds Jay County’s school records for 9-hole and 18-hole scores. Last summer, she won three of the six Mountain Dew Tour events she entered, including at Sycamore, Coyote Creek and Shady Hills. She tied for seventh overall at the Mountain Dew Tour Championship at Harrison Hills. Academically, Champ was an honor roll student at Jay County and earned the Golf Association Ladies Scholarship.

Cmehil comes to IUPUI from Middletown (Ohio) High School where she lettered in golf for three years and graduated with an honors diploma. She was a four-time Greater Miami Conference All-Academic Team member and was on the honor roll three out of four years. Her senior year, she posted a 48.93 scoring average, primarily as the Middies’ No. 3 player. She was recently awarded a Joe Nuxhall Scholarship towards her college tuition, given annually to selected Butler County high school seniors.

Houseman was a four-year varsity letterwinner at Grandville (Mich.) High School, helping the Bulldogs to a spot in the state tournament her senior year. She finished the year with a 78 18-hole tournament average and 43 average in nine-hole events. She closed in second at the O-K Red postseason tournament and sixth in the regional tournament. She also turned in top 10 performances at the Forest Hills Northern Invite, Jenison Invite and Russ Johnsen Invite. During her career, she was a three-time All-Conference and two-time All-Area honoree. She was also named Team MVP her final three seasons. She intends on majoring in business management/marketing at IUPUI.

Kuss excelled in both basketball and golf at Oregon-Davis High School, helping the Bobcats to the 2007 Class 1A State basketball title. On the links, she qualified for the State Tournament her senior season after advancing through the Kankakee Valley Sectional and LaPorte Regional. Last summer, she took medalist honors at the Mountain Dew Tour Michigan City event and finished second at Black Squirrel. On the Plantations Junior Tour, she won the Pevely Farms event and finished 12th at the University of Notre Dame tournament. She was also an Honorable Mention Academic All-State pick in basketball her senior year.

Miller was a basketball, softball and golf standout at Connersville High School, earning 10 varsity letters among the three sports. In golf, she was a four-time All-Olympic Conference pick. The Spartans had a 45-12 record during Miller’s career, including three straight Olympic Conference titles and two New Castle Regional appearances. In 2007, Connersville went 12-3 and set a new school record with a nine-hole team score of 160. Last summer, she entered six Mountain Dew Tour events and posted six top 10’s, finishing second at the Kokomo American Legion event.

O’Brien put together an impressive prep resume that included two IHSAA All-State awards and being named The Prep Sports "Golfer of the Year" in both 2006 and 2007. A four-time All-Conference and All-Area honoree, O’Brien set the Bishop Luers school records for lowest 18-hole (68) and nine-hole (31) scores. Additionally, she finished her career with a school record 11 tournament wins, an 18-hole tournament average of 74.9 and nine-hole tournament average of 37.0. Among her 11 tournament wins were two conference, two sectional and one regional crown. She finished 21st at the 2007 IHSAA State Tournament and had eight top 10 finishes her senior year. Her win at the Northrop Invitational in 2007 at the Colonial Oaks Golf Course was her third consecutive title at that event. She was recently selected to take part in the Indiana/Kentucky Challenge, but is unable to compete due to academic obligations.

"Kristi O’Brien is an outstanding player," Andrews said. "She wanted to come in and be able to play as a freshman. She’s going to really help our lineup next year, immediately."

Pray comes to IUPUI from Campbell (Ga.) High School, where she was a two-time Team MVP. She lettered in golf, track and cross country during her high school career and was named Campbell’s Most Athletic Award. Her senior year, she was an All-State pick and was the medalist at the Region 5A Tournament, qualifying for the state tournament. She was named to the Senior All-Star Tournament by the Georgia High School Coaches Association. She earned consecutive All-Cobb County honors her junior and senior seasons. Her junior year, she was named to the All-Atlanta Junior Golf Team and All-Atlanta Junior Golf Academic Team. Pray chose IUPUI over interest from Florida State, Old Dominion, Furman and Kennesaw State and intends on majoring in journalism.

"I think Melanie Pray wanted the chance to make an impact right away," Andrews said. "Some big time programs were interested in her, but she’s another good athlete with a really solid game. And, Brittney Miller, Lauren Kuss and Trisha Champ were good at other sports besides golf in high school. They’re only going to get better, the more they focus on just golf."

Andrews’ squad finished seventh of 10 teams in The Summit League this past season, but loses just two senior letterwinners. The group of returners includes seniors Kellie Marshall and Tara Boone and junior Stephanie Greer.