(from left) Marion assistant golf coach Todd Chin; Adamson’s grandmother Paulette Carmichael; mom Dana Adamson; Kayla; dad Steve Adamson; Marion head coach Jack Raabe.

After four years of playing varsity golf at Marion High School, Kayla Adamson will soon be realizing her dream of playing golf at the Division I level.

Adamson had verbally committed to attend Ball State University in March. On Wednesday at Arbor Trace Golf Course, Adamson made it official by signing her letter of intent to play for the Cardinals.

"This is kind of bittersweet,” Adamson said. "I’m really excited about the opportunity to go and play college golf, but at the same time I’m nervous about having to leave home.”

The Cardinals will graduate three golfers from this year’s team. Mary Ellen Romero from Hamilton Southeastern and Morgan Nadaline from Anderson will join Adamson in Ball State’s recruiting class.

With the Cardinals graduating three golfers — Meghan Perry from Evansville, Mary Welch from Wisconsin and Sarah Westaway from Canada — Adamson said she could step in and make an immediate impact with the program.

"I hope to get in the top five next year,” Adamson said. "We will just have to wait and see how things go.”

Adamson said her college choices came down to the University of Indianapolis and Ball State. After making her verbal commitment to the Cardinals and coach Katherine Mowat, the Giant senior never wavered from that decision.

"It took a lot of practice and competition to realize that this was the right place to go and over the last four years I’ve worked up a good enough golf game to get a scholarship to a Division I university,” Adamson said.

Adamson, who has been Marion’s No. 1 golfer since her freshman year, had a good enough high school career to draw interest from Division I schools.

The Marion senior earned medalist honors at the sectional all four years with the Giants. She also advanced to the state championships her junior and senior season. Adamson advanced to state as part of the Marion team as a junior, and then advanced as an individual this year.

Adamson tied for 31st at the state finals this fall. She tied for 13th at state her junior season.

This past fall, Adamson won the sectional with a 74. She followed that up by taking third at the regional with a 72, earning the top spot among the individual golfers qualifying for the state finals.

Adamson already has plans to make her college career just as successful as her high school campaign.

She will be working out with a trainer during the winter. She will then continue to practice through the winter and all the way up to when she leaves for Ball State.

"Between now and July, I’m going to work as hard as I ever have to hopefully get in that top five,” Adamson said.

The Ball State golf season is both in the fall and the spring. The Mid-American Conference championship is in the spring season.

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