MONROE, La.?Ashley Winn
Tonore, a former All-American and member of the LPGA Tour, has been named ULM's
director of golf, director of athletics Bobby Staub announced on Saturday.
Tonore will begin her duties
overseeing the Warhawk golf programs in mid-March and will serve as the head
coach of the women's team. Her hiring is pending approval by the University of
Louisiana System Board of Supervisors.
“We are thrilled to have someone
of Ashley's experience and qualifications join the Warhawk family,” Staub said.
Tonore played professionally for six years on the
LPGA Tour, the Ladies Asian Golf Tour and the Futures Tour. During her time on the LPGA Tour she played in the 1997
Women's U.S. Open.
"I
am excited to be a part of ULM and a great golf program with strong community
support,” Tonore said. “After leaving the LPGA in 2004, I knew that golf
was such a big part of my life. I hoped that one day I would be involved in
golf again and I knew that I would like to be a college coach. I am so thankful
for this opportunity and can't wait to get started.”
One of the top golfers in LSU
history, Tonore was a three-time honorable mention selection to the All-America
team. She competed in a pair of NCAA Championships, finishing 15th
overall in 1998 as the Tigers placed fifth as a team. Tonore also
competed as an individual in the 1995 NCAA Championships.
A four-time all-Southeastern
Conference selection, Tonore holds the LSU school record for lowest 36-hole
score carding a 138. She also has the Tigers' third-best 54-hole score (212),
third-best 18-hole score (68) and fifth-best 72-hole score (295). Tonore ranks
fifth on the LSU career stroke average list with a 75.83 mark over 130 rounds
and ranks second with 22 career top-10 finishes.
While playing professionally,
Tonore was a terrific ambassador for the game of golf in the community. She was involved in a program called 1st Tee Golf
Clinics, which were designed to take the sport of golf and teach it
to underprivileged children.
Tonore joins the ULM staff
after working for the past four years in pharmaceutical sales. She has been active in the Monroe area during
her days working in the private sector. Tonore supported many local fundraising efforts by consistently playing
in scrambles to benefit multiple causes.
She also taught lessons during
the LPGA Tour offseason and most recently competed in the Bayou DeSiard Country
Club Championship this past year.
The All-SEC Academic Team
member graduated with a bachelor's degree in marketing from LSU in 1998. Tonore and her husband Gerald have a daughter, Morgan (1).
