Cartwright Signs with Cumberland University
The golf factory at Macon County has produced another collegiate player.
MCHS Senior Kaitlyn Cartwright has agreed to attend Cumberland University and play women’s golf.
Cumberland is a four year liberal arts school which was founded in 1843 by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. At one time the Cumberland School of Law was said to have had more of its alumni elected to the US Congress than any other school in the South. The University is located in nearby Lebanon, TN and this will be the fourth year in which Macon County student-athletes have been offered an athletic scholarship from this fine school. Cordell Hull, Secretary of State under FDR, and Baltimore Oriole 1st Round Draft pick Chris Smith are notable alumni.
Cartwright was a member of the MCHS golf team that placed second two consecutive seasons at the A-AA State golf meet. Cartwright was able to improve her play at state, finishing 17th overall as a sophomore, 9th as a junior, and 3rd overall as a senior. Kaitlyn has also played softball for three years for the Tigerettes.
MCHS Golf Coach Beverly Shoulders commented, “Kaitlyn is one of the most gifted female golfers that I have been able to coach.” Cartwright was a member of a senior laden squad at MCHS that won region championships for four consecutive years. “We had high expectations for this bunch, and I am proud of what they have been able to accomplish.”
Former MCHS alum and former Cumberland golf coach Scott Wilkerson saw potential. He offered Kaitlyn a scholarship to his university when she was a high school junior. He commented that he thought that Kaitlyn would continue to improve and become an excellent addition to the Cumberland women’s program. The program is currently under the helm of Richard Williams, who guided the men’s and women’s golf teams at CU this past season. She joins former teammate Kaleigh Chitwood at Cumberland next season.
The word ‘focus’ seems to appear time and again in talking to Kaitlyn. “Practice and more practice helped me develop my game, but learning to focus on the mental aspect of golf was what helped put it all together,” said Kaitlyn. “Coach Shoulders has been such an influence on me. She made us set goals and showed us how to stay on track, which helps you in much more than golf.”
Kaitlyn hopes to move on and study to become a registered nurse. She chose Cumberland not only because she thought it was the best fit for her game, but because it offered a quality academic program in the field she wanted to study in college. Cartwright had been contacted by Bethel, Tennessee Tech, Trevecca, The Cumberlands, and Lindsey Wilson College before choosing Cumberland University.
“Kaitlyn said she wanted to play collegiate golf at an early age and to see her accomplish that goal, as a parent, is the thing that I am most proud of,” remarked her mom Tina. Her dad Tony also added, “We always encouraged her to be her best and watching her keep her eyes on that goal makes us feel good.”
With the goal of playing college golf since the 5th grade, congratulations to Kaitlyn Cartwright for accomplishing her dream. We wish her the best of luck look forward to hearing great things from Lebanon in the next four years.
