University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Women's Golf Welcomes Four Signees for 2024-25
11.15.2023 | Women's Golf
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - UNC Asheville Women's Golf welcomes four signees for its 2024-25 recruiting class, announced today (Wednesday, Nov. 15) by head coach Ross Cash.
Cash welcomes Morgan Guepet out of Metarie, La., Kate Bennett out of McKinney, Texas, Jordyn Arts from Trophy Club, Texas and Savannah Thessing from Nixa, Mo.
Guepet won the U. S. Kids World championship in 2020, before winning three straight Louisana state championships (2021-23) and placing third at the 2023 Golfweek Hoosier Invitational as a high school senior in a field of college golfers. She also picked up nine wins on the Kelly Gibson Tour and was named the tour's Player of the Year five times.
"Morgan Guepet is literally the perfect representative of UNC Asheville Women's Golf and the University," said Coach Cash. "This young lady is so polite and humble, and yet so totally engaging when you spend time with her. Like all the student athletes we bring in, Morgan's grades and devotion to school are impeccable. She will also be a dominant force in the Big South Conference. She creates efficient power and has already shown the distance to compete with a field of all NCAA golfers at the Golfweek Hoosier Invitational where she finished third. When she gets here and begins to work with the strength and conditioning team on our golf specific program, her distance will be scary. We are so thankful to have Morgan as a part of Bulldog Nation."
Bennett was the 77th ranked golfer by the American Junior Golf Association for her class, and also the sixth-ranked golfer in the state of Texas. This past year she posted 10 Top-10 finishes including three wins. In 2022, she posted eight Top-10 finishes including one win. She posted 15 Top-10 individual finishes in 2021, along with 17 wins and 11 runner-up finishes from 2019-20.
"Kate Bennett will be a great Bulldog both in the classroom and on the golf course," said Coach Cash. "She is everything a coach could want in a student-athlete. Kate is loaded with experience on the national stage and was highly recruited but committed to UNC Asheville early in the process. She has the heart of a champion and talks to me often about her personal dreams and her team aspirations while she is here getting her education. I couldn't be more proud to have her on our team."
Over her high school career dating back to 2020, Arts has collected 26 Top-10 finishes including riding a streak of 18 consecutive dating back to Sept. 18, 2021. Within those Top-10 finishes, she has recorded three individual wins.
"Jordyn Arts is a superstar, and she competes with an almost unrivaled amount of grit and determination that I have seen her display many times," said Coach Cash. "I've seen her play great golf in the Kathy Whitworth in perfect weather and I've seen her demolish the field at Dallas Athletic Club in 35-degree windy conditions wearing six layers to keep warm. Jordyn is also an elite student that is highly organized and punctual which is a key factor in transitioning to college life. I'm so happy she is a Bulldog."
Thessing is a two-time Missouri state champion and a four-time state qualifier, as well as a four-time district champion. She posted state championships as a freshman and sophomore, finishing in fourth as a junior and as the runner-up as a senior. Away from the golf course, she was Vice President of the Student Council, a National Honor Society member and served on various committees and mentorship roles within her high school.
"Savannah Thessing is many things," said Coach Cash. "She is a great student, a profoundly deep thinker, a multi-year individual state champion in Missouri, but what is most compelling about her is that she is a person of great moral character. When she came to Asheville on her official visit, it was that high character that totally stood out to the coaching staff and her student host. She is a person that we just had to have on our team. We are excited to welcome her to the Bulldog family."
About Women's Athletics Presenting Partner First Bank
First Bank is the banking subsidiary of First Bancorp and is headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, with total assets of approximately $12.4 billion. As a state-chartered community bank, First Bank operates 118 bank branches in North Carolina and South Carolina. Since 1935, First Bank has taken a tailored approach to banking, combining best-in-class financial solutions, helpful local expertise, and technology to manage a home or business. First Bancorp's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "FBNC." Visit our website at www.LocalFirstBank.com. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender.
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Cash welcomes Morgan Guepet out of Metarie, La., Kate Bennett out of McKinney, Texas, Jordyn Arts from Trophy Club, Texas and Savannah Thessing from Nixa, Mo.
Guepet won the U. S. Kids World championship in 2020, before winning three straight Louisana state championships (2021-23) and placing third at the 2023 Golfweek Hoosier Invitational as a high school senior in a field of college golfers. She also picked up nine wins on the Kelly Gibson Tour and was named the tour's Player of the Year five times.
"Morgan Guepet is literally the perfect representative of UNC Asheville Women's Golf and the University," said Coach Cash. "This young lady is so polite and humble, and yet so totally engaging when you spend time with her. Like all the student athletes we bring in, Morgan's grades and devotion to school are impeccable. She will also be a dominant force in the Big South Conference. She creates efficient power and has already shown the distance to compete with a field of all NCAA golfers at the Golfweek Hoosier Invitational where she finished third. When she gets here and begins to work with the strength and conditioning team on our golf specific program, her distance will be scary. We are so thankful to have Morgan as a part of Bulldog Nation."
Bennett was the 77th ranked golfer by the American Junior Golf Association for her class, and also the sixth-ranked golfer in the state of Texas. This past year she posted 10 Top-10 finishes including three wins. In 2022, she posted eight Top-10 finishes including one win. She posted 15 Top-10 individual finishes in 2021, along with 17 wins and 11 runner-up finishes from 2019-20.
"Kate Bennett will be a great Bulldog both in the classroom and on the golf course," said Coach Cash. "She is everything a coach could want in a student-athlete. Kate is loaded with experience on the national stage and was highly recruited but committed to UNC Asheville early in the process. She has the heart of a champion and talks to me often about her personal dreams and her team aspirations while she is here getting her education. I couldn't be more proud to have her on our team."
Over her high school career dating back to 2020, Arts has collected 26 Top-10 finishes including riding a streak of 18 consecutive dating back to Sept. 18, 2021. Within those Top-10 finishes, she has recorded three individual wins.
"Jordyn Arts is a superstar, and she competes with an almost unrivaled amount of grit and determination that I have seen her display many times," said Coach Cash. "I've seen her play great golf in the Kathy Whitworth in perfect weather and I've seen her demolish the field at Dallas Athletic Club in 35-degree windy conditions wearing six layers to keep warm. Jordyn is also an elite student that is highly organized and punctual which is a key factor in transitioning to college life. I'm so happy she is a Bulldog."
Thessing is a two-time Missouri state champion and a four-time state qualifier, as well as a four-time district champion. She posted state championships as a freshman and sophomore, finishing in fourth as a junior and as the runner-up as a senior. Away from the golf course, she was Vice President of the Student Council, a National Honor Society member and served on various committees and mentorship roles within her high school.
"Savannah Thessing is many things," said Coach Cash. "She is a great student, a profoundly deep thinker, a multi-year individual state champion in Missouri, but what is most compelling about her is that she is a person of great moral character. When she came to Asheville on her official visit, it was that high character that totally stood out to the coaching staff and her student host. She is a person that we just had to have on our team. We are excited to welcome her to the Bulldog family."
About Women's Athletics Presenting Partner First Bank
First Bank is the banking subsidiary of First Bancorp and is headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, with total assets of approximately $12.4 billion. As a state-chartered community bank, First Bank operates 118 bank branches in North Carolina and South Carolina. Since 1935, First Bank has taken a tailored approach to banking, combining best-in-class financial solutions, helpful local expertise, and technology to manage a home or business. First Bancorp's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "FBNC." Visit our website at www.LocalFirstBank.com. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender.
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