Hadley Moritz’s journey from Minnesota, Indiana and Illinois to All-MAC golfer
WHEATON, Ill. (BVM) — Moving to three different cities before graduating high school is unusual for most people. But, for Hadley Moritz, each move set up an opportunity towards her college golf career today.
Moritz was born in Wheaton, Ill., just west of Chicago. Very soon after, her family moved to Minnesota until she was eight years old. Then, her family moved to Noblesville, Ind., where she was introduced to the sport of golf.
Moritz first got into golf in fifth grade when her family joined a local country club in Noblesville.
“My dad bought me one of those kids sets when we joined,” Moritz said. “I would just try and wack golf balls with him at that time.”
Just two years later, Moritz was getting into competitive golf at some local youth tournaments in the Indianapolis area. As her interest in the sport kept growing, she was able to make her high school golf team her freshman year.
Moritz was able to improve her game immensely throughout her freshman year through her high school coach Mike Abbott.
“My first 18 hole round my freshman year was a 105, then my last round of my freshman year was an 81 at sectionals,” Moritz said.
After her visible improvements throughout her freshman year, Moritz’s family moved back to where she was born in Wheaton.
“Having to move to a completely new place where everyone had grown up together was tough,” Moritz said. “You sort of just stand out because you’re new.”
Even through her family’s move back to Wheaton, she made a commitment to playing competitive golf as she was a three-year varsity golfer at Wheaton Warrenville South.
“I was very lucky to have the golf team there,” Moritz said. “It was easier for me to reach out and meet people at that time.”
With the commitment to high school golf after moving away from Noblesville, Moritz also committed to keeping in touch with her former high school coach in Mike Abbott.
“He’s a huge role model in my life so I have a very close relationship with him,” Moritz said. “I made a commitment to staying in touch with him to work on my game.”
Her commitment to golf with Abbott paid off in a huge way as she played a big role in winning the 2016 2A State Golf Championship with Wheaton Warrenville South, winning by seven strokes in the tournament ahead of runner-up Barrington High School. Moritz tied for 14th individually in the two day tournament, alongside her teammates Sarah Hauenstein finishing tied for sixth, and Annalee Dannegger and Priya Desai finishing tied for 21st.
“That brought our team so much closer together,” Moritz said about the state championship team. “Individually, it made me realize what I could do with golf.”
The opportunities came after her high school golf career, having offers to play Division I golf in college. She was able to receive a scholarship offer to play golf at Ball State University.
“I worked all of these years to try and go to school on a scholarship through golf,” Moritz said. “When the opportunity presented itself, I knew I couldn’t turn down the opportunity, it meant the world to me.”
After accepting the offer to Ball State, the success has continued for Moritz as she heads into her senior year. She completed her junior 2020-2021 season with a 76.12 scoring average with a low round of 70. Moritz had two top-ten finishes and one top-five finish, including accolades of being on the All-MAC Second Team and her second Academic All-MAC honor.
As she goes into her senior year at Ball State, Moritz reflects on how moving cities helped guide her golf career into today.
“Moving cities really helped me focus on golf,” Moritz said. “When I was in Indiana, I still played softball. Moving to Wheaton made me focus on golf and I think it helped my golf career take off.”
Moritz’s unique journey from her early days in golf to today at Ball State reminds her of what she wants other high school athletes to know before considering the next level of sports.
“To reach the next level, it has to be something you want to do,” Moritz said. “It takes time and dedication and even missing some fun hangouts and such with your friends. You have to really want it if your goal is to play college sports.”
