When Warrenton senior Haley Rausch was in eighth grade, she told her father that she was interested in learning how to play golf. 

From there, the pair grabbed some old clubs and headed to the course. 

After that, the rest is history. 

“I didn’t know what sport I wanted to play in college and I knew I wanted to play another sport in high school,” Rausch said. “My dad’s a really big golfer, so I thought, I want to do this too.” 

Rausch, who also played soccer, recalled not being very good at golf when she first started out. However, her hard work and passion has propelled her to collegiate level. 

On March 6, Rausch signed her official letter of intent to play golf at NCAA Division II Truman State University, located in Kirksville. She plans to major in nursing. 

She had also received an offer from Missouri Baptist University but ultimately knew Truman was the best fit for her. 

“I love the atmosphere (at Truman) and I have a couple of friends that go there, so I thought I should reach out to the golf coach,” Rausch said. “So, I reached out to him and we scheduled an interview, and the rest just kind of fell right into place.” 

Although Rausch’s golf career began only a few years ago, her love for the sport quickly grew. As a four-year varsity member of the Warrenton girls golf team, she earned second-team all-GAC North Conference honors.

“I definitely want to be all-conference in college like how I was in high school,” she said. “I think that’d be super cool to reach that milestone in both chapters of my life.” 

Rausch added she is excited to play on new courses and meet her new teammates. She also welcomes the excited nerves of playing at a higher level. 

“Obviously, I golfed in high school but I’ve never played it in college, so it’s going to be different,” Rausch said.