All 4 Team Colorado golfers who are high school seniors make college commitments final; all told, at least 11 Class of 2027 players from Centennial State signing with NCAA Div. I programs
By Gary Baines
Some of Colorado’s top junior golfers — specifically those who are seniors in high school — are formalizing their college golf plans this week. And though the process will continue into next summer — depending on the particular player — many have already signed what are now called athlete grant-in-aid agreements.
The list includes four members of Team Colorado — the junior elite squad that’s part of the USGA’s National Development Program — as well as numerous other Class of 2027 golfers from the Centennial State. And, of course, Colorado-based NCAA Division I and II golf programs are signing players — from in and out of the state — who will join them in late summer 2027.
At least three Coloradans are committed to in-state NCAA Division I programs. That includes Team Colorado member Brayden DeStefano of Peyton and Cheyenne Mountain High School, who signed with Colorado State University on Wednesday after originally verbally committing to the University of Colorado.
DeStefano opted for CSU after three-time CGA Les Fowler Player of the Year Colin Prater, who had previously served as an assistant coach for the boys golf team at Cheyenne Mountain HS — where DeStefano was a standout player — accepted an assistant coaching position at CSU and gave up his CMHS coaching job.
Asked on Thursday his reason for ultimately signing with CSU — and if Prater was part of the reason — DeStefano wrote in a text:
“Yes, that was a part of it. I also think the size of the school and the campus were awesome. I think that the school itself is a place that will fit me very well and the people on the team are awesome. And having been teammates with (CSU’s) Charlie Doyle before (at CMHS), I’m excited to team back up with him. So just everything about the school, the team and the coaches there made me want to go there and I am very happy with my decision.”
Another Team Colorado golfer headed for a DI program in the state is Addison Dorsey of Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs High School, who will be a University of Denver Pioneer. Also, Team Colorado golfer Cooper Kelly of Centennial and Cherry Creek H.S., is set to play at DI University of Northern Colorado.
While DeStefano is the top-ranked Coloradan — according to Junior Golf Scoreboard — among boys to sign this week, Ella Scott of Castle Rock, who’s headed to North Carolina State, fits that bill among girls signees from Colorado. Scott is likewise a Team Colorado player.
Below are some of the known local signings/commitments. This list will be updated. Notify us of signees not already noted by emailing golfjournal@coloradogolf.org
COLORADO JUNIOR GOLFERS
NCAA Division I
— Brayden DeStefano of Peyton and Cheyenne Mountain H.S. (member of Team Colorado) — Colorado State. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Boys: 68)
— Ella Scott of Castle Rock and Valor Christian H.S. (member of Team Colorado )— North Carolina State. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Girls: 122)
— Cooper Kelly of Centennial and Cherry Creek H.S. (member of Team Colorado) — Northern Colorado. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Boys: 269)
— Addison Dorsey of Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs H.S. (member of Team Colorado) — University of Denver. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Girls: 424)
— Maddie Makino of Parker and Legend H.S. — Montana. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Girls: 772)
— Lilie Cohen of Parker and Chaparral H.S. — Montana State. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Girls: 814)
— CheyAnne Schrick of Timnath and Timnath H.S. — North Carolina Asheville. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Girls: 1,233)
— Danikka Nielsen of Louisville and Holy Family H.S. — Manhattan University. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Girls: 1,981)
— Will Farber of Lakewood and Regis Jesuit H.S. — Army. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Boys: 2,124)
— Aspen Murphy of Lakewood and Denver Christian H.S. — Texas A&M Corpus Christi. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Girls: 2,261)
— Leo Roennau of Aspen and Aspen H.S. — Boston College, (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Boys: Not Ranked)
NCAA Division II
— Nick Clinton of Centennial and Arapahoe H.S. — Colorado Christian University. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Boys: 1,105)
— Sarah Farmer of Lakewood and Denver Christian H.S. — West Texas A&M. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Girls: 1,802)
— Payton Rowell of Castle Rock and Castle View H.S. — Cal State Monterey Bay. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Girls: 1,893)
— Reagan Allen of Littleton and Chatifield H.S. — Palm Beach Atlantic. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Girls: 2,346)
— Ceili Kimmitt of Highlands Ranch and ThunderRidge H.S. — Augustana College. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Girls: 3,687)
NCAA Division III
— Griffin Didier of Carbondale and Basalt H.S. — Denison. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Boys: 838)
— Sean Wisler of Highlands Ranch and ThunderRidge H.S. — Gettysburg. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Boys: 1,540)
— Jake Bradley of Louisville and Monarch H.S. — Dubuque. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Boys: 2,348)
ANNOUNCED SIGNINGS OF NON-COLORADO GOLFERS BY COLORADO-BASED COLLEGE PROGRAMS
CU women (NCAA Div. I) — Stevie Umali, San Francisco. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Girls: 40)
CU men (NCAA Div. I) — Konstanty Łuczak, Warsaw, Poland (member of Polish national team); (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Boys: Not Ranked, but No. 350 in World Amateur Golf Rankings)
UNC women (NCAA Div. I) — Ximena Sarinana, Newton, Kan.. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Girls: 411)
UNC men (NCAA Div. I) — Riley Bentley, Windsor, Ontario. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Boys: 496)
Colorado Mesa (NCAA Div. II) — Nathan Ash of Tempe, Ariz. (Junior Golf Scoreboard National Ranking Among Boys: 499)
About the Writer: Gary Baines has covered golf in Colorado continuously since 1983. He was a sports writer at the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder, then the sports editor there, and has written regularly for ColoradoGolf.org since 2009. The University of Colorado Evans Scholar alum was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2022. He owns and operates ColoradoGolfJournal.com