Center Grove product Lucy Young has been a starter all four seasons of her golf career at Grace College.
Submitted photo
Grace College started its women’s golf program in 2015, which means the Lancers’ record book includes many of the same names throughout.
Among them is Lucy Young, who seems poised to be on those same pages long into the future.
The former Center Grove golfer, a mainstay in Grace’s starting lineup from the time she set foot on campus in the summer of 2019, has enjoyed every facet of the college experience.
“It’s been great. My coach (Denny Duncan) is awesome, and I’m close to all my teammates,” said Young, now a senior. “I think it’s been a really good environment for me. The community is really close here, and I’ve noticed that everybody looks out for you and makes sure you’re doing well.”
It was actually another former Trojan golfer, 2016 Center Grove product Sydney Abbott, who sold Young on Grace College’s many positive attributes.
The two got to be Lancer teammates during the fall and spring golf seasons for one school year (2019-20) — one in which history was made as Grace won the NCCAA National Championships in Palm Coast, Florida.
Young placed third individually at that tournament, carding scores of 76, 80 and 82 to garner All-America honors.
Talk about a first impression.
Young’s since touched virtually every base in her golf career since, being named an NAIA scholar-athlete the past two years, earning numerous All-Crossroads League honors and scoring six of the Lancers’ all-time top 16 individual rounds.
She also has three of Grace’s best 11 two-round totals.
As a freshman, Young’s average 18-hole score of 78.38 established a program standard that remains today. Her sophomore average (79.85) is third on the list.
The Lancers have played in two tournaments this season, with first- and second-place finishes. Young tied for second individually with a 79 at the Trine Invitational and more recently produced scores of 79 and 83 at the Battle at Brookwood in Fort Wayne.
The Lancers play today at the Eagle Glen Invitational in Columbia City.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic taking place early in Young’s college career, she is eligible for another year of athletic eligibility should she want it.
She doesn’t.
Over the summer, Young interned at KPMG, an accounting firm in downtown Indianapolis. She will begin work there full-time after graduating.
“I’m not planning on coming back next year because I’ll already have my master’s degree after this school year,” said Young, an accounting major who maintains a 3.85 grade-point average.
“Right now, I have one master’s class and an introduction to international business class, so I only go to class three days a week. It’s so nice. I do like to go to the gym, and we also have a pretty nice indoor practice facility with a simulator and putting green.”
Duncan, the only coach in Lancers history, has steered the program during its rapid ascent from newcomer to one of the NAIA’s elite.
Young’s presence, talent and personality have played a big role.
“She’s amazing. I sound like I’m just making this stuff up, but Lucy has been one of our very top players since her freshman year,” Duncan said. “Her name is in the top three in many categories in our record book, and in the classroom she is, like, a prodigy of accounting.
“Lucy is so pleasant. When we have recruits on campus, we love to have them stay with Lucy because she makes them feel comfortable. Just a phenomenal kid.”
