Cincinnati, Ohio, May 8, 2015 – Saint Ursula Academy welcomes three new varsity head coaches for the 2015-2016 school year in Golf, Field Hockey, and Basketball. They are Sara Stephens, Jill Meiring and Tori Vogelgesang.
Sara Stephens will serve as the varsity head coach in for the Saint Ursula Academy Golf Team. Stephens has worked as a professional golfer since 2010. Currently a golf pro at Maketewah Country Club, Stephens has also acted as golf pro at Golf Ranch in Burlington, KY. She currently runs junior golf player development programs, gives lessons, plans and prepares golf outings.
As a professional golfer, her career highlights include qualifying for full status for the Duramed Futures Tour in 2010, 2012, and 2013. Stephens finished 3rd Place Professional at the 2010 and 2011 Kentucky State Women’s Open, and finished Low Pro in the 2012 KY Women’s Open. She was the 2014 Southern Ohio PGA Ladies Championship Winner and established a Birdies for Lyme Disease Initiative in 2010
Stephens’ certifications include: Titleist Performance Institute Level 1, PGA Apprentice Level 3, US Kids Golf Certified Instructor, and Eyeline Golf 4 Putting Elements Certified Instructor.
Stephens played college golf at University of Central Florida for 2 years and University of Kentucky for 2 years. Sara, her husband and 10-month old son live in Union, KY.
Saint Ursula Athletic Director Mike Sipes says “I am very excited to have Sara join our coaching staff and I am sure that she will make an immediate connection to our golfers here at the Academy. As a very successful player in high school, college and the mini-tour, she has gained much experience that she will bring to the players to help them with the many challenges of a highly competitive golf program. As an instructor and golf professional her expertise will be extremely helpful in helping the golfers get the most of out of their abilities.”
"I am so thrilled to join the Athletic program at St Ursula and accept the Head Girls Golf Coaching Position,” said incoming coach Sara Stephens. “With my past experience as a golfer at the junior, college and professional level, along with my teaching experience, I hope I can bring my knowledge of the game to this great group of young ladies and build on the great legacy of the girls golf program at SUA."
Jill Meiring was named the varsity head coach of the Saint Ursula Academy Basketball Team. She served last year as JV Head Basketball Coach and Head Field Hockey coach at Saint Ursula Academy.
Meiring, also the Assistant Athletic Director at Saint Ursula Academy, has deep experience in coaching both basketball and field hockey. She has 11 years of collegiate coaching experience and two years of high school experience. She served as Head Basketball Coach at Marietta College from 2007 – 2012. Prior to coaching at Marietta College, Meiring served as Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach from 2001 to 2007 and Head Field Hockey Coach at Transylvania University from 2004 to 2007. She later coached high school students at Hamilton High School before joining the athletics staff at Saint Ursula.
She has also directed many women’s camps from school age to high school and collegiate levels.
Meiring is a graduate of Denison University with a double major in Psychology and Sports Management. She earned her Masters of Education in Physical Education with an emphasis in Sports Administration at Eastern Kentucky University.
She is a member of the Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Association (2002-current) and a member of the National Field Hockey Coaches’ Association. (2013-current)
“Jill came to SUA in 2014 as the assistant athletic director, and also coached Varsity Field Hockey as well as Reserve basketball,” said Sipes. “She brings a tremendous amount of experience to the basketball program having spent eleven years coaching at the college level as well as an additional two years at the high school level and we are thrilled for her to be taking over our basketball program.”
“I am pleased to be in a position to rebuild the program with a new sense of energy and excitement,” said Coach Meiring. “Having been a member of the coaching staff last year, I loved every minute of coaching the girls in this program. They are well-rounded young women, with a strong desire to improve and compete. I, too, share that desire and have no doubt this program will escalate to one of championship prominence.”
Victoria (Tori) Vogelgesang ’06 will serve as the varsity head coach in 2015 for the Saint Ursula Academy Field Hockey Team. Vogelgesang is the Alumnae Relations Director at Saint Ursula Academy and has been an assistant coach on the field hockey team for the past five seasons.
Vogelgesang played field hockey at SUA where she was a two-year captain who led the Bulldogs past the first round of the tournament for the first time in program history. In 2005, she was selected to the All-Ohio team.
A graduate of Wittenberg University, Vogelgesang majored in Sociology and played field hockey as a starting defender for four years. During her time at Wittenberg, she was a two time NFHCA National Academic Squad Award recipient (2006, 2008) and led the Tigers to a 2009 NCAA tournament appearance, the team’s first in five years. She was also a three-year student coach on the Wittenberg softball team.
Vogelgesang has been on the SUA field hockey staff since 2010 and was assistant varsity coach on the 2010 State Championship team. After serving as assistant varsity coach for three years, she became head goalie coach for the program, a role which she has been in for the past two seasons. During Vogelgesang’s time with the team, the Bulldogs have produced two Ohio Goalies of the Year (2010, 2012). Following the 2013 season, she moved to Durham, England where she was a field hockey coach at Durham School. She played in club leagues in Durham and continues to play with Durham City’s sister club, the Cincinnati Centurions. She has been involved with the Centurions since its inception in 2005.
She has directed many field hockey camps from school age to high school and collegiate levels, is a USAFH Level I accredited coach and member, and is a member of the National Field Hockey Coaches’ Association. Vogelgesang earned her Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in nonprofit management from Northern Kentucky University.
“It is always a thrill to have an SUA alum become a head coach, especially when we had the opportunity to watch her play as a Bulldog at a very high level and then go onto play in college,” said Sipes. “While Tori had coached with us in the past before leaving town, she was hired as our Alumnae Director in 2014 and assisted with the field hockey team again last year. Even more thrilling is to have an alum who is in the building also coaching and we are sure Tori will hit the ground running as she gets the field hockey program ready for the 2015 season.”
"I am honored to continue the coaching tradition that has come before me, from my high school coach, Derek Aspinall, to one of my mentors, Sarah Catlin,” said Coach Vogelgesang. “Aspinall used to say to us, ‘I'm coaching you to be coaches’ and this position has been an aspiration of mine ever since. As a new coach, I'm excited to continue learning and try some new things this season. The strong returning nucleus of seniors and starters looks very promising and not only would I like to see us, but I also think we have the potential to, reemerge as post-season contenders this year. "
To learn more about St. Ursula Academy athletics, please visit www.saintursula.org.
St. Ursula Academy is a Catholic, college-preparatory, secondary school for young women known for academic excellence and rich tradition. St. Ursula welcomes students from more than 70 grade schools in the Greater Cincinnati area. In 2002 the Academy was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School. The campus, located at 1339 E. McMillan Street in East Walnut Hills has been the home of St. Ursula Academy and Convent since 1910. The Class of 2014 earned college scholarships totaling more than $20-million.