SKYHAWK GOLF SIGNING CLASS INCLUDES A TRIO OF FRESHMEN FOR 2022-23 CAMPAIGN
11/19/2021 3:25:00 PM | Golf
MARTIN, Tenn. – University of Tennessee at Martin head golf coach Austin Swafford has secured National Letters of Intent for three talented freshmen as Luke Caldwell, Dax Isbell and Rocco Zakutney will join the Skyhawks next season.
The trio will become part of a surging UT Martin program that has won two of the last five Ohio Valley Conference championships, including the 2021 title under Swafford. The Skyhawks have put together a dominant stretch which includes 23 team tournament victories, 21 individual tournament medalists and 16 All-OVC performers since its first championship season in 2015-16.
"We are extremely excited about each of these three young men," Swafford said. "Their resumes are all impressive as they each have played in multiple high-quality junior golf events and that experience will allow them to come in and compete immediately. They all have characteristics about them on and off the course that stood out to us when we recruited them. Luke has one of the best demeanors on the golf course that I have ever seen in a junior player. Dax has the ability to go low as evident by his scores from this past season. Rocco's work ethic is second to none and he will continue to elevate his game. We are thankful they chose UT Martin and we believe that these three players will be a great fit in our culture. It's a great day for Skyhawk golf."
Luke Caldwell, Freshman, Cookeville, Tenn. (Cookeville HS)
Coming off an award-winning prep career under head coach Larry Pitts at Cookeville High School…Was a three-time state tournament qualifier (2019 through 2021), garnering District Player of the Year accolades in both of those seasons while earning all-midstate honors as a senior and three mentions on the all-district first team (2018-20)…Finished third in the Division I Class AA state tournament in 2021, shooting 5-under par…Managed a 70.8 season stroke average as a senior, accumulating eight medalist wins…Carded 10 top-15 finishes in 12 tournament opportunities during the 2020 calendar year, including a win at the Egwani Farms Invitational in Knoxville (148, 74-74)…Shot a 138 (-6) to place second in the Sneds Tour 2-Day Masters at Oak Ridge…Additionally placed fourth at the 2-Day Masters at Harrison Bay (145, 73-72) and sixth at the 2-Day Master at Willowcreek (144, 75-69) on the 2020 Sneds Tour…Shot a 1-under 71 on the way to a fifth-place performance at the 2020 Tennessee Junior Amateur Qualifier at Beat Trace in Chattanooga…Accounted for individual medalist championships at the 2020 Don Burke Memorial, the 2020 Keith Mitchell Invitational and the 2019 Early Bird Invitational.
Dax Isbell, Freshman, Cumming, Ga. (North Forsyth HS)
Put together quite an impressive career at North Forsyth High School, playing for head coach Rodney Moore…Was responsible for several notable finishes on a national level, including three AJGA appearances in 2021…Was a qualifier medalist and placed in the top-20 at the 2021 Billy Horschel Junior with a 68…Was the qualifier medalist of the 2021 Chattanooga Choo Choo Invitational amateur event, carding a 67…Also participated in prestigious events such as the 2021 Boys Junior PGA Championship, 2021 Bubba Conlee Junior Championship and 2020 Jones Cup Junior Invitational…Earned a pair of state championship appearances, ranking fifth in the Georgia PGA High School championship with a 143 as his opening-round 69 tied a school record…Also performed well in regional play, collecting 11 birdies and an eagle on the way to winning the 2021 Georgia PGA Junior Championship with a 218 (75-70-73) which sat atop the 110-player leaderboard…That win advanced him to the Junior PGA Championship, which took place in July 2021 in Lexington, Ky….Placed ninth out of 100 in the 2020 Georgia PGA Junior Championship and 18th in the 2021 GSGA State Junior Championship.
Rocco Zakutney, Freshman, Paducah, Ky. (St. Mary HS)
Fresh off a remarkable career at St. Mary High School under head coach Kurt Averill…Helped the Vikings to their first Region 1 championship since 2012 as a senior, winning individual medalist honors himself with an even-par 72…That was one of his five tournament victories during his senior campaign, also earning top finishes at the Murray Invitational (67, -5), the Kentucky Cup (65, -6) and the Ballard County Invitational (68, -4)…Finished his senior season with a 70.6 scoring average, which was the second-best mark in school history and good enough for all-state accolades…Ranked fourth on the KGCA State point rankings in 2021, finishing second at the KGCA all-state tournament with a 136 (-7)…Took part in the 2021 US Open Local Qualifier in Georgetown, Ky., carding a 69 (-3) to advance to the next round after a fourth-place effort…Finished 35th after a 146 (including a second-round 70) at the US Open Final Qualifier…Qualified as the first alternate at the 2021 PGA Junior Championship, shooting a 141 (74-67)…Also earned top-10 finishes at the 2020 Notah Begay Regional Qualifier (136, -8, fifth) and the 2021AJGA event at Bellefonte (214, +4, seventh)…Older brother Matthew was an All-OVC Newcomer performer at Murray State, playing from 2013-17.
Zakutney photo courtesy of Ed Marlowe
The trio will become part of a surging UT Martin program that has won two of the last five Ohio Valley Conference championships, including the 2021 title under Swafford. The Skyhawks have put together a dominant stretch which includes 23 team tournament victories, 21 individual tournament medalists and 16 All-OVC performers since its first championship season in 2015-16.
"We are extremely excited about each of these three young men," Swafford said. "Their resumes are all impressive as they each have played in multiple high-quality junior golf events and that experience will allow them to come in and compete immediately. They all have characteristics about them on and off the course that stood out to us when we recruited them. Luke has one of the best demeanors on the golf course that I have ever seen in a junior player. Dax has the ability to go low as evident by his scores from this past season. Rocco's work ethic is second to none and he will continue to elevate his game. We are thankful they chose UT Martin and we believe that these three players will be a great fit in our culture. It's a great day for Skyhawk golf."
Luke Caldwell, Freshman, Cookeville, Tenn. (Cookeville HS)
Coming off an award-winning prep career under head coach Larry Pitts at Cookeville High School…Was a three-time state tournament qualifier (2019 through 2021), garnering District Player of the Year accolades in both of those seasons while earning all-midstate honors as a senior and three mentions on the all-district first team (2018-20)…Finished third in the Division I Class AA state tournament in 2021, shooting 5-under par…Managed a 70.8 season stroke average as a senior, accumulating eight medalist wins…Carded 10 top-15 finishes in 12 tournament opportunities during the 2020 calendar year, including a win at the Egwani Farms Invitational in Knoxville (148, 74-74)…Shot a 138 (-6) to place second in the Sneds Tour 2-Day Masters at Oak Ridge…Additionally placed fourth at the 2-Day Masters at Harrison Bay (145, 73-72) and sixth at the 2-Day Master at Willowcreek (144, 75-69) on the 2020 Sneds Tour…Shot a 1-under 71 on the way to a fifth-place performance at the 2020 Tennessee Junior Amateur Qualifier at Beat Trace in Chattanooga…Accounted for individual medalist championships at the 2020 Don Burke Memorial, the 2020 Keith Mitchell Invitational and the 2019 Early Bird Invitational.
Dax Isbell, Freshman, Cumming, Ga. (North Forsyth HS)
Put together quite an impressive career at North Forsyth High School, playing for head coach Rodney Moore…Was responsible for several notable finishes on a national level, including three AJGA appearances in 2021…Was a qualifier medalist and placed in the top-20 at the 2021 Billy Horschel Junior with a 68…Was the qualifier medalist of the 2021 Chattanooga Choo Choo Invitational amateur event, carding a 67…Also participated in prestigious events such as the 2021 Boys Junior PGA Championship, 2021 Bubba Conlee Junior Championship and 2020 Jones Cup Junior Invitational…Earned a pair of state championship appearances, ranking fifth in the Georgia PGA High School championship with a 143 as his opening-round 69 tied a school record…Also performed well in regional play, collecting 11 birdies and an eagle on the way to winning the 2021 Georgia PGA Junior Championship with a 218 (75-70-73) which sat atop the 110-player leaderboard…That win advanced him to the Junior PGA Championship, which took place in July 2021 in Lexington, Ky….Placed ninth out of 100 in the 2020 Georgia PGA Junior Championship and 18th in the 2021 GSGA State Junior Championship.
Rocco Zakutney, Freshman, Paducah, Ky. (St. Mary HS)
Fresh off a remarkable career at St. Mary High School under head coach Kurt Averill…Helped the Vikings to their first Region 1 championship since 2012 as a senior, winning individual medalist honors himself with an even-par 72…That was one of his five tournament victories during his senior campaign, also earning top finishes at the Murray Invitational (67, -5), the Kentucky Cup (65, -6) and the Ballard County Invitational (68, -4)…Finished his senior season with a 70.6 scoring average, which was the second-best mark in school history and good enough for all-state accolades…Ranked fourth on the KGCA State point rankings in 2021, finishing second at the KGCA all-state tournament with a 136 (-7)…Took part in the 2021 US Open Local Qualifier in Georgetown, Ky., carding a 69 (-3) to advance to the next round after a fourth-place effort…Finished 35th after a 146 (including a second-round 70) at the US Open Final Qualifier…Qualified as the first alternate at the 2021 PGA Junior Championship, shooting a 141 (74-67)…Also earned top-10 finishes at the 2020 Notah Begay Regional Qualifier (136, -8, fifth) and the 2021AJGA event at Bellefonte (214, +4, seventh)…Older brother Matthew was an All-OVC Newcomer performer at Murray State, playing from 2013-17.
Zakutney photo courtesy of Ed Marlowe
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