The University of Akron Athletics
Men's Golf Signs Three Student-Athletes to 2012-13 Class
November 21 | Men's Golf
AKRON, Ohio – University of Akron men's golf head coach David Trainor announced on Monday that Carr Vernon (Poplar Bluff, Mo.), Ryan Harris (Carlisle, Mass.) and Louis Birchall (Ingestre Park, England) have signed national letters of intent to play for the Zips in the 2012-13 season.
"With the signing of my first recruiting class at Akron, I could not be more pleased with the young men joining the Akron family," Trainor said. "Carr, Ryan and Louis are three players who I think the world of both on and off the golf course."
Vernon, a senior at Poplar Bluff High School, was a quarterfinalist at the 2011 Missouri Amateur Championship and also participated in the 2010 U.S. Amateur and the 2011 U.S. Junior Amateur. As a junior, he finished second at the Missouri High School State Championship event while earning district and sectional medalist honors along the way. He was also named the Plantations Junior Golf Tour and the Missouri Junior Player of the Year.
"Carr has competed in a US Junior Amateur and a US Amateur in his young career, and has several impressive titles to his name, including being the youngest winner of the Ozarks Open." Trainor stated. "He always plays his best on the biggest stages. As his future coach, I am looking for that to continue and get better."
Harris, a senior Concord Carlisle High School, has posted several top-20 finishes at top amateur events. He finished tied for 15th place at the Deutsche Bank Partners for Charity Junior Shoot Out conducted by the American Junior Golf Association in July 2011. He finished eighth at the IJGT at Duke University, 12th at the FCWT Tanglewood Park event and tied for 14th at the IJGT Tournament of Champions.
"Ryan is a young man who has steadily improved over the past couple of years and a person I think will have an outstanding collegiate career for the Zips," Trainor said. "His summer was highlighted with a top-15 finish at the Deutsche Bank Shootout."
Birchall, a senior at Blessed William Howard Catholic High School, has played a number of events throughout the United Kingdom and within the English Golf Union. He competed in the 2011 British Boys Amateur Championship in August after finishing tied for 26th place during the two-day stroke play event to qualify for the match play rounds.
"Louis has competed nationally and internationally, and has posted some very impressive results on the golf course," Trainor stated. "This past summer, he made the match play round at the British Boys Championship, which was played on two very difficult golf courses in some extremely difficult conditions."
Trainor and the Zips return to action on Feb. 13 when they travel to Tampa, Fla., for the Mid-American Conference Match Play event.
