BLACKSBURG, Va. - Virginia Tech women's golf coach Carol Robertson has announced the signing of Symone Henriques, Ginnie Lee and Kyrsten Shawah to National Letters of Intent to join the Hokies in the fall of 2021.
"This incoming class is impressive both in the classroom and on the course. Our program has been built on a solid foundation of hard work and dedication," Robertson said. "These three will merge into our culture and find ways to keep the future looking bright."
Henriques, a native of Johannesburg, South Africa, transfers to Virginia Tech from one of the top junior college programs, Daytona State College in Daytona Beach, Florida. At DSC, Henriques won the Stetson Hatter Fall Classic at Alaqua Lakes Country Club in Oct. 2019 and finished fourth at the Lady Paladin Invitational hosted by Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. As a freshman at DSC, she was a 2020 WGCA All-American Scholar and maintains a 3.95 GPA.
Internationally, she played for her native South Africa in the 2019 The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship at Whispering Pines in Houston, Texas, competing against Hokie teammate Emily Mahar. She is currently ranked 289thin the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
"Symone's vast experience and proven success from both her country and junior college will be monumental for our growing program," Robertson added.
Lee, a native of Lausanne, Switzerland, graduated in July 2020 from Gymnase de Auguste Piccard in Lausanne, where she studied for three years. Lee was the most valuable athlete in her class, and her major focus were economy, law, and sport. She is taking a gap year before starting college to focus on developing her golf skills. She is currently ranked 627thin the World Amateur Golf Ranking and 38thin the European Golf Rankings
As a junior golfer in 2016, Lee won the Campine International Junior Golf Classic U18 in Belgium in a two-hole play-off, earning a wildcard to play the Greg Norman Academy in North Carolina. She was the champion in the overall Junior Tour Event U16 in Switzerland. In 2017, she won the Swiss Romande National Open Championship, entering the WAGR with this victory. She also won the Finnish International Junior Championship U16 in Finland. In 2018, she won the Swiss National Girls U18, with a course-record 68 in the second round. She also won the Belgium International Girls Championship U18 and the Nations Cup. In 2019, Lee won an event on the Swiss Golf Tour, competing against professionals.
"Ginnie is just starting to hit her stride in her golf game," Robertson continued. "She finds a way to score in all conditions and has represented her country in several events. Her intelligence in both the classroom and on the course will be a fantastic fit."
Kyrsten Shawah is a native of Boca Raton, Florida and is a senior at Spanish River Community High School. She is a four-year member of the golf team and the team captain as a senior. Shawah placed first in the District 13 FHSAA tournament, shooting 70 last season. She led her team to a fourth-place finish in the 3A FHSAA tournament as a junior. She is a member of the National Honor Society, the DECA Club and is taking AP and AICE classes.
She was the 2018 South Florida Section PGA Player of the Year (Girls 13-18). She won an FSGA junior 54-hole major tournament, shooting 71-74-69 with a hole-in-one on the final day. Shawah won the SFJPGA Junior Tour Fox Club tournament, the Coastal Carolina Junior Championship and the SFJPGA Junior Open.
"Kyrsten will make a great Hokie," Robertson concluded. "She is ready to bring many qualities to our program that will make us better on and off the course. We are excited to have a front row seat to the growth in her game."
