WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Katherine Hull, who is the top-ranked amateur by Golfstat.com and a Pepperdine University standout, has been named the 2003 recipient of the Dinah Shore Trophy Award, sponsored by The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Foundation. Hull received her award Friday during the annual National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) Womens Golf Banquet, held in conjunction with the 2003 Division I NCAA Womens Golf Championship at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.Hull, one of the nations premier amateurs the last two years, was chosen based on her outstanding achievements in academics, natural leadership style, dedicated community service work and extraordinary golf ability. She was the number-one player for Pepperdine since her sophomore year and led the Waves to its first-ever, number-one ranking earlier this spring. As part of the Dinah Shore Trophy Award, the Pepperdine Universitys womens golf program will receive a $7,000 grant to in Hulls name. The award and the grant are funded through The LPGA Foundations Dinah Shore Scholarship Fund and the Friends of Golf (FOG).
Hull, who has a GPA of 3.404 and a nation-leading scoring average of 71.88, recently graduated with a degree in Sports Administration. At commencement she was recognized as the 2003 Outstanding Student-Athlete in the Natural Science Division for her major. Hull was named Academic All-American her senior year and got a taste of the LPGA life when she played in The Office Depot Championship hosted by Amy Alcott last April. She made the cut and placed 70th after rounds of 77-74-79.In addition to her academic and athletic achievements, Hull was also involved in community service during her time at Pepperdine. She represented the womens golf team on the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) since her freshman year and during her junior and senior campaigns she represented Pepperdine at West Coast Conference SAAC meetings. Hull also helped organize the Waves Round-up a community-based program benefiting the homeless in Santa Monica, Calif.
Hull received a crystal replica of the actual Dinah Shore Trophy from Dr. Betsy Clark, the LPGAs vice president of professional development. The award recognizes a female collegiate golfer who excels in both academics and athletics. She must have an overall grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, play in at least 50 percent of her teams scheduled events and maintain a scoring average of 78.00 or less.
The Dinah Shore Trophy Award, a part of the Dinah Shore Scholarship Fund, is a cooperative effort between The LPGA Foundation, FOG and the Kraft Nabisco Championship, one of the LPGAs four major championships and the largest contributor to the Dinah Shore Scholarship Fund.
The LPGA Foundation introduced the Dinah Shore Scholarship Fund in March 1994 in honor of the late Dinah Shore, a graduate of Vanderbilt University and an honorary member of the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame. Together with FOG and Nabisco, The LPGA Foundation developed the Dinah Shore Trophy Award and its criteria. A fundraising organization administered by Eddie Merrins, the golf professional at Bel Air Golf Club in Beverly Hills, Calif., FOG contributes annually to collegiate, high school and junior golf programs throughout the country, and Dinah Shore was considered the First Lady of FOG.
Established in 1991 to complement the charitable activities of the LPGA and its tournaments, the LPGA established The LPGA Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The LPGA Foundation has four main goals: to develop and maintain junior golf programs across the country; to develop and maintain scholarship programs for junior golfers; to maintain a financial assistance fund for those in the golf industry; and to conduct research and develop educational activities related to golf instruction. Since its inception, The LPGA Foundation, supported through tax-deductible donations from individuals and businesses, has created and supported a number of programs to achieve those objectives.