Transferring from one school to another is always tough for the individual making the change, especially as a student athlete. Choosing to leave your former teammates and then attempt to fit in well with your new ones is always a challenge. While most may shy away from a task like that, senior Megan Pollock had no problem tackling it.

After playing two seasons of golf at the varsity level for Medina High School, Pollock decided to take her talents to a Division I school, finding herself at the University of Dayton.

Pollock, who was named to the All-Northeast Ohio second team in her senior year at Medina, spent three years as a member of the Dayton women’s golf team. While there, she carded a career low (at the time) of 83 in her junior season participating at the Dayton Flyer Invitational.

One of Pollock’s biggest fans had his eye on the golfer for a while. Head coach of the Ashland University women’s golf team, Gene Grabiec, knew about the future eagle since she was in high school.

“I had seen her play five years ago and when I talked to her father Bill, he told me she had a year of eligibility left. My chin dropped,” Grabiec said.

Grabiec, who is in his first year coaching the Eagles, jumped all over the opportunity to bring Pollock with him to Ashland University for her senior season. He also made it clear that the team’s success has been in large part to Megan’s newfound leadership role which helps to bring together the other four women on the team. Grabiec calls the five women golfers the “Fab Five.”

“She’s brought to my attention stuff that I would sometimes forget about. She’ll say ‘hey coach, we need to do this,’ it’s wonderful. We are all building off one another, we are all learning and we are all getting stronger,” Grabiec said.

Grabiec believes that Pollock’s inclusion in the team has already led to a lot of success so far this season for the Eagles. Pollock is already blending in well with her new teammates despite spending the first three years of her collegiate career at a different school.

“I love the team chemistry. I feel like the five of us have such a strong bond and just the supportiveness of everybody around is great,” Pollock said. “Even the athletics staff who emailed us and reached out to us after we won was outstanding and was definitely something new to me.”

The performance on the golf course for the senior has improved as well since making the switch to AU. In the season opening tournament, the Michael Corbett Fall Classic, Megan carded a new career low, shooting a 76 on day two.

One of Pollock’s teammates, junior Sophie Hemleben, also has positive things to say about the transfer.

“I think her personality fits in really well with all of us and we get along really well,” Hemleben said. “She has definitely shown that she has been through undergrad and has played on a Division I team before and has used that expertise to help us here. I think her just being older than us and being through the ropes of playing at a Division I school, she has really made us better already.”

Hemleben did not hold back when talking about how important the acquisition of Pollock has been for the entire team moving forward as they continue to improve each and everyday.

The Ashland University Women’s Golf team will continue the 2019 fall season with two more tournaments this month, followed by three more in the month of October. The “Fab Five” cannot wait to get out on the course and play alongside their newest member.

The Eagles will get their next chance to do so at the Cumberland Trail Classic hosted by Ohio Dominican. In her final year of eligibility, Pollock plans to carry forward the idea of leaving her mark at Ashland University. Not just for herself, but also for the teammates she is honored to play beside.