Gophers senior Sabrine Garrison will play in her last Big Ten Championship this weekend. 

In her head coach’s words, Garrison is the epitome of what a student-athlete represents. Garrison has flourished in both realms — school and sports — in her college career. 

“She is what a student-athlete is all about,” head coach Michele Redman said. “She does everything really well in the classroom. She does everything I ask her to do and not only that. She is a great leader and a great player.”

She competed in nine tournaments each of her first three years with the Gophers. The Big Ten championships starting Friday will be her eighth tournament of the year. The only tournament she missed was when she had an interview for medical school. 

She finished her junior season with the third best stroke average on the team and the year before that, she had the second best stroke average on the team. This year, she is second in scoring average overall and first in the spring season. 

She points to a change in her mental game that has really helped her continue to be consistent on the course and play to the best of her ability. 

“The last two years we have really taken a different approach … learning to accept the outcome of the shot,” Garrison said. “Not forcing things to happen, but taking a back seat in that competitive setting. I know that can be counterintuitive, but I think that has worked for a lot of us.” 

On top of her accomplishments on the course, Garrison will graduate with a degree in biology in May. Also, this spring, she has gone through the interview process with medical school programs and she hopes to hear back from them in the coming weeks. 

Junior Maggie Heggerston said there is a lot to be learned from Garrison. Whether it is the way she manages her time between golf and school or how she leads the team, she gives them an example of how things should be done. 

“[Garrison] has an ability to bring everyone together in such a way and motivate everyone to play well and be a team and play for each other,” Heggerston said. “She has been such a great leader.”

Heggerston said that Garrison will be greatly missed next year. Garrison reiterated that through her four years, this is the closest she has ever been with her teammates, and that it has made for a fun year traveling together. 

This weekend, Garrison will tee it up for the final time in her career. With medical school and other things on the horizon, she said that it is important for her to just enjoy the weekend she has ahead of her. 

“I don’t know when it will hit me, I’m excited for this week,” Garrison said. “I just want to enjoy myself … the golf is what it is, but ultimately, I just want to enjoy my last opportunity to play.”