University of North Texas Athletics
Photo by: Zach Del Bello
Women's Golf Signs Singapore's Chang
11/8/2023 12:01:00 AM | Women's Golf
DENTON - UNT women's golf coach Michael Akers announced an addition to his program on Wednesday as the eighth-year coach added an international student-athlete, who will join the program next year after enrolling at UNT this spring.
The Mean Green will add Singapore's Valencia Chang, who will enroll in January to give herself time to adjust to college and playing collegiate golf before starting with the program in August 2024 with four years of eligibility remaining.
"I am excited to add Valencia Chang to our roster in the spring," Akers said. "The plan is to get her acclimated to school and golf and have her ready to go in the fall with four years of eligibility. The first semester for any college student is a difficult adjustment. Valencia and her family were open to this idea."
Chang is a Singapore national and a member of the Singapore national team but hails from Bangkok, Thailand. She grew up playing several sports before focusing solely on golf relatively recently, which is an attribute Akers has looked for in recruits before and one that has paid dividends for him in the past.
Since focusing solely on golf, Chang has quickly climbed the ranks and had success on the course. She was named the Overall Golfer of the Year by Harrow Bangkok Sport for 2022-23, thanks a first-place finish at the 2023 ISGTÂ STA Golf Invitational and another win at the 2022Â ISGTÂ Tour Championship, which was co-sanctioned by the Faldo Series. She also won the same event in 2020 and finished second at the 2022 ASB Eagle Cup and fourth at the 2022 ISGTÂ International School Golf Tour.
Akers said several things stood out to him about Chang, notably her international experience and her approach to the game.
"Valencia is a member of the Singapore National Golf Team and has vast experience playing international competition," Akers said. "She is an extremely good student. When Valencia visited UNT, we realized she was a perfect fit for our team. This team works very hard and makes sacrifices and she does the same."
The Mean Green will add Singapore's Valencia Chang, who will enroll in January to give herself time to adjust to college and playing collegiate golf before starting with the program in August 2024 with four years of eligibility remaining.
"I am excited to add Valencia Chang to our roster in the spring," Akers said. "The plan is to get her acclimated to school and golf and have her ready to go in the fall with four years of eligibility. The first semester for any college student is a difficult adjustment. Valencia and her family were open to this idea."
Chang is a Singapore national and a member of the Singapore national team but hails from Bangkok, Thailand. She grew up playing several sports before focusing solely on golf relatively recently, which is an attribute Akers has looked for in recruits before and one that has paid dividends for him in the past.
Since focusing solely on golf, Chang has quickly climbed the ranks and had success on the course. She was named the Overall Golfer of the Year by Harrow Bangkok Sport for 2022-23, thanks a first-place finish at the 2023 ISGTÂ STA Golf Invitational and another win at the 2022Â ISGTÂ Tour Championship, which was co-sanctioned by the Faldo Series. She also won the same event in 2020 and finished second at the 2022 ASB Eagle Cup and fourth at the 2022 ISGTÂ International School Golf Tour.
Akers said several things stood out to him about Chang, notably her international experience and her approach to the game.
"Valencia is a member of the Singapore National Golf Team and has vast experience playing international competition," Akers said. "She is an extremely good student. When Valencia visited UNT, we realized she was a perfect fit for our team. This team works very hard and makes sacrifices and she does the same."
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