Dobyns-Bennett’s van der Biest Commits to ‘Bama
by STEVE WILMOTH
TriCitiesSports.com
August 14, 2018
KINGSPORT, Tenn. -- From Roll Tribe to Roll Tide.
Dobyns-Bennett Lady Indian sophomore golfer Isabella van der Biest made an early call this week in pledging to the University of Alabama.
The offer and commitment was a life-long dream for van der Biest.
“I’ve wanted to go to Alabama since i was little, so I just felt like it was perfect,” said van der Biest.
Alabama was one of five schools visited by van der Biest. The others were Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Clemson and Mississippi State.
“When I left those other schools, I just didn’t feel the same feeling I felt leaving Alabama,” explained van der Biest. “All are good schools, Alabama was just my favorite and I felt like it was a perfect fit for me.”
As a freshman last season, van der Biest swept to conference, district and regional individual titles, winning the Region 1 Large School championship with a round of 66 at the Country Club at Morristown.
At just 14-years-old, van der Biest qualified for the United State Girls Junior Amateur and missed qualifying again this year by just one shot.
Earlier this summer, van der Biest received her first tournament invite, participating in the 4th annual Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational at the Blessings Golf Course in Johnson, Arkansas.
She also was part of the Kathy Whitworth Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas. The tournament brings together 72 of the world's best junior girl golfers at Mira Vista Golf Course.
Currently, van der Biest is the second-ranked high school golfer in the state of Tennessee and in the top 200 nationally in the Class of 2021.
Dobyns-Bennett Athletics coverage on TriCitiesSports.com courtesy of Bill Gatton Automotive Group, Eastman Credit Union, TnT Sportsplex, Chris Jenkins Insurance Group, Mac’s Medicine Mart, Northeast State and Mark Halvorsen State Farm Insurance.
Currently, van der Biest is the second-ranked high school golfer in the state of Tennessee and in the top 200 nationally in the Class of 2021.
Dobyns-Bennett Athletics coverage on TriCitiesSports.com courtesy of Bill Gatton Automotive Group, Eastman Credit Union, TnT Sportsplex, Chris Jenkins Insurance Group, Mac’s Medicine Mart, Northeast State and Mark Halvorsen State Farm Insurance.