University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
Photo by: Ben Ludeman
Tee Time with Annabelle Ackroyd
12/6/2020 10:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Sophomore Annabelle Ackroyd is one of the top young golfers in the Big Ten. The Calgary, Alberta native won her third-straight Alberta Junior Girls Championship this summer and finished third on the team in scoring average (76.18) after playing in six tournaments during the 2019-2020 season. GopherSports sat down with Annabelle to discuss the fall semester, learn of new hobbies gained during the summer and look ahead to the spring.
GopherSports: How has it felt to be back on campus with your teammates?
Annabelle Ackroyd: It has been really nice getting back on campus after a long break. It is definitely under completely different circumstances than we are used to with online school and no fall season. However, just being back on campus and seeing the girls has helped me feel some sort of normalcy during this time.
GS: What did you do over the summer to practice and improve your skills?
AA: I am from Canada, so most of the tournaments at home were canceled except for two. The borders were also closed, so I was unable to play a ton of tournaments. However, because there were no tournaments my travel schedule wasn't as crazy as it normally is, so it gave me the opportunity to play and practice more with my friends.
GS: Did you pick up any fun hobbies during the summer quarantine period?
AA: The first hobby I picked up was painting. I did so much painting during the few months of lockdown. I painted anything from shoes to decks of cards. The second hobby I picked up was hiking. I live right by the mountains in Calgary, so it was awesome to take a day trip and go hike with my sisters and friends.
GS: What are you most looking forward to this season?
AA: I am just looking forward to competing again. I love the competition. It's my favorite part, so I am excited to finally do it again. I also am just excited to travel with the team again it's always such a good time with a lot of laughs.
GS: How has the team continued to improve from last season?
AA: I think this semester's circumstances are unlike anything we have experienced before. Everyone is doing their best to keep in touch with each other and see one another when it's possible. It's just difficult with Covid-19. We are trying to continue the team bonding and strong camaraderie we built last year. Golf wise everyone is doing what is best for them to improve during this time leading up to the spring.
GS: How are the underclassmen contributing to the team?
AA: There are four of us who are underclassmen on the team. All of us are fairly extroverted and fun, so I think we bring a positive energy to the team. We all love to laugh and keep everything we do pretty upbeat.
GS: What are you most proud of from your career so far?
AA: This was a really hard question because I think I have a lot left that I want to accomplish. But as of now, I am the proudest of winning three provincial championships in a row.
GS: What is it like to represent Canada and win the Alberta U19 Championship for three straight years?
AA: I am really proud of myself to have won provincials three years in a row. It is one of my greatest accomplishments and was a huge goal of mine for years. It is always a privilege to represent Canada and a dream come true when I get the opportunity to do so. It is a very special opportunity to represent the maple leaf.
Quick Hits:
Three favorite foods: Ice coffee, rice and chocolate cake
Bucket list item: Travel across Europe
Favorite holiday: Canada day
Go-to karaoke song: Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi
Favorite movie character: Kung Fu Panda
GopherSports: How has it felt to be back on campus with your teammates?
Annabelle Ackroyd: It has been really nice getting back on campus after a long break. It is definitely under completely different circumstances than we are used to with online school and no fall season. However, just being back on campus and seeing the girls has helped me feel some sort of normalcy during this time.
GS: What did you do over the summer to practice and improve your skills?
AA: I am from Canada, so most of the tournaments at home were canceled except for two. The borders were also closed, so I was unable to play a ton of tournaments. However, because there were no tournaments my travel schedule wasn't as crazy as it normally is, so it gave me the opportunity to play and practice more with my friends.
GS: Did you pick up any fun hobbies during the summer quarantine period?
AA: The first hobby I picked up was painting. I did so much painting during the few months of lockdown. I painted anything from shoes to decks of cards. The second hobby I picked up was hiking. I live right by the mountains in Calgary, so it was awesome to take a day trip and go hike with my sisters and friends.
GS: What are you most looking forward to this season?
AA: I am just looking forward to competing again. I love the competition. It's my favorite part, so I am excited to finally do it again. I also am just excited to travel with the team again it's always such a good time with a lot of laughs.
GS: How has the team continued to improve from last season?
AA: I think this semester's circumstances are unlike anything we have experienced before. Everyone is doing their best to keep in touch with each other and see one another when it's possible. It's just difficult with Covid-19. We are trying to continue the team bonding and strong camaraderie we built last year. Golf wise everyone is doing what is best for them to improve during this time leading up to the spring.
GS: How are the underclassmen contributing to the team?
AA: There are four of us who are underclassmen on the team. All of us are fairly extroverted and fun, so I think we bring a positive energy to the team. We all love to laugh and keep everything we do pretty upbeat.
GS: What are you most proud of from your career so far?
AA: This was a really hard question because I think I have a lot left that I want to accomplish. But as of now, I am the proudest of winning three provincial championships in a row.
GS: What is it like to represent Canada and win the Alberta U19 Championship for three straight years?
AA: I am really proud of myself to have won provincials three years in a row. It is one of my greatest accomplishments and was a huge goal of mine for years. It is always a privilege to represent Canada and a dream come true when I get the opportunity to do so. It is a very special opportunity to represent the maple leaf.
Quick Hits:
Three favorite foods: Ice coffee, rice and chocolate cake
Bucket list item: Travel across Europe
Favorite holiday: Canada day
Go-to karaoke song: Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi
Favorite movie character: Kung Fu Panda
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