FREDERICKSBURG, VA – The University of Mary Washington will add women's varsity golf in 2017-18, according to Director of Athletics Ken Tyler. With the addition, UMW will offer 23 varsity sports next fall. The head coach for the inaugural season will be former UMW basketball All-American Katie Wimmer ('12), who led the Eagles to a 30-1 record her senior season, when they advanced to the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals.

"We're very pleased to add women's golf to our varsity sport offerings and to announce Katie Wimmer as our inaugural head coach", said Tyler. "The addition of women's golf, following men's golf this year, is another indicator of the upward trajectory in the athletic department and at the University of Mary Washington. Katie Wimmer was an outstanding student-athlete, and she knows what it takes to be successful at UMW and at the Division III level. Her high school and college coaching experience, combined with strong connections throughout Virginia and the region, will make Katie a very effective recruiter for our program. I can't wait for the first tee shot in the fall of 2017!"

Wimmer entered the coaching field following her playing career, most recently as a graduate assistant coach at Wesley College. She completed a graduate degree in Sports Leadership, and gained valuable experience coaching, recruiting, and with administrative duties. She will immediately begin assembling her first group of golfers, with the team beginning play in fall 2017. Like the men's team, which tees off in the fall of 2016, the women will play and practice at Augustine Golf Course and train with Raspberry Golf Management.

"I'm really excited to come back to UMW, my 'home away from home'", said Wimmer. "It's a great opportunity for me to give back to not only the program that taught me so many life lessons, but also the athletic department and university as a whole! It's amazing to see how much UMW has grown since I've graduated and I'm so happy I can be a part of the growth by coaching basketball and building the first ever women's golf team at UMW."

With the Eagles, Wimmer was a part of three NCAA Tournament teams, in 2009, 2010, and 2012. Her class of basketball seniors finished their careers with an overall record of 95-19. Wimmer was a three-year team captain and served as a representative for the UMW Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She was named CAC Rookie of the Year in 2009, Second Team All-Conference in 2010, and First Team All-Conference in 2011 and 2012. In 2012, Wimmer was also named an All-American by d3hoops.com.

After graduating from UMW, Wimmer coached at her alma mater, James Madison High School, where the team won the Liberty District Championship and made it to the second round of the Northern Regional Tournament. She is well connected throughout Northern Virginia to find top level talent for the Eagles' squad in their inaugural campaign.