Angelica Pfefferkorn remembered her very first high school golf meet, back in 2016 at the Golf Club of Indiana, playing for the Guerin Catholic girls golf team.
She admitted that she was “absolutely terrified” during her first-ever meet. But look at her now: Pfefferkorn graduated Guerin Catholic as a three-time state qualifier and was the pick for the Golden Eagles’ Female Athlete of the Year for the 2019-20 school year.
“I was thrilled and I was so honored to receive the award,” said Pfefferkorn. “I was super thrilled.”
Guerin Catholic announced the award this week on the school’s athletic website. The Athlete of the Year awards are voted on by the Golden Eagles’ head coaches. Guerin Catholic coach Mark Mathews said that Pfefferkorn’s “team leadership skills and her natural ability as a team captain made it a real joy to be her coach” over the past four years.
“I’m really excited to follow her college golf career as she pursues her medical degree,” said Mathews.
Pfefferkorn was a four-year varsity letter winner, and played No. 1 all four years. She had 15 medalist finishes and a four-year scoring average of 74.1, along with leading the Golden Eagles to four straight Circle City Conference championships and a fifth-place finish at the IHSAA state finals in 2018.
“Angelica is a terrific representative of a student-athlete at Guerin Catholic – someone who competes at the highest level and does so with unwavering humility,” said GC athletic director Ryan Davis. “Her accomplishments on and off the golf course are amongst the best ever for any student-athlete at Guerin Catholic. We are proud of all she has done and for the mark she has left not only for the girls golf program, but also all of our student-athletes.”
Pfefferkorn has been playing golf since she was 6 years old, and still remembers her first-ever junior tournament.
“I forget where it was, but it was somewhere here in Hamilton County and I remember I had to do a putt-off for second place,” said Pfefferkorn. “I think I was 11.” She did win that putt-off, “and I was thrilled,” she said.
“I’ve made so many friends playing golf,” said Pfefferkorn. “I love coming to tournaments and seeing them. We hang out outside of golf and we also practice together, play together.”
Among the highlights of Pfefferkorn’s career, of course, are the three times that she qualified for the state finals. As a sophomore, she made it to state by playing in a playoff at the regional.
“That time I was just scared, and Prairie View was a big, challenging course that seemed impossible,” said Pfefferkorn.
But in her junior year, it wasn’t so scary. There were two reasons for that: First, Pfefferkorn had the experience of playing there, and second, her entire Golden Eagles team was with her.
“My junior year, I had my whole entire team with me, so that was a lot of fun,” said Pfefferkorn. “I felt more confident there, being my second time and my team being there to support me and we support each other.”
Pfefferkorn went back to state her senior year, where she placed eighth in the state.
“My last year, senior year, it was just to have fun and play my best,” said Pfefferkorn. “I knew everyone there, I knew the course pretty well, so I had a lot of fun.”
After the meet, Pfefferkorn was named to the All-State team.
“I was super excited to finally make the All-State team,” said Pfefferkorn. “That is something I really looked up to my entire high school career, so it meant a lot to me, being able to make it my senior year.”
Pfefferkorn is now playing her usual slate of summer tournaments, after which she will be heading to Stillwater, Okla., the home of Oklahoma State University. Pfefferkorn has committed to playing on the women’s golf team there.
“When I visited out there, I fell in love with the school and their golf program is amazing, along with the school,” said Pfefferkorn. “Their facilities are beautiful. It seemed like a great place, great coaches and teammates.”
Pfefferkorn has been a great student at Guerin Catholic, with a 4.188 grade-point average. That includes Advance Placement and International Baccalaureate classes.
“I’m going to major in psychology on a pre-med track,” said Pfefferkorn. After that, she plans to go to medical school, and is looking at going into dermatology or interventional radiology.