FORT DODGE – The first of November is a special day for many athletes around the World because it is NJCAA Signing Day and for the Iowa Central Community College golf program it was an exceptional day as it welcomed Ivanna Becerra Diaz, Amy Fletcher and Drew Pelton to its 2023 recruiting class.
"National signing day is always a fun day," said coach Kris Graewin. "I've always enjoyed getting to know each recruit and their family in a process that can begin years in advance. This year we have been fortunate to add some high-quality players to our program. Each athlete's family has played a crucial role in developing them into the person they are today. I could not be more thrilled to have Ivanna, Amy and Drew be a part of our Triton family."
Ivanna hails from Mexico City, Mexico and has a tournament low score of 70. She has played tournament golf for many years and won the 2020 Summer Tour of "Zona Sur" with scores of 70-72-72. She has secured multiple top-five finishes in the past three years including two wins.
"Ivanna is an extremely talented young woman," said Graewin. "She has overcome some difficulties in Mexico after dealing with COVID-19 and not being able to play as much or practice as much as she would have liked. She has a tremendous work ethic and she is excited to play in the US and excited to play here at Iowa Central."
Amy joins the Triton family from Durban, South Africa. Fletcher has posted multiple scores in the 70s and has been playing competitive golf for several years. Competing at the South African Women's Amateur Stroke Play Championship, Fletcher finished tied for 50th after rounds of 83-79-86. Fletcher continues the recent trend of South Africans joining the Triton Golf program.
"Amy's got a ton of talent and I've been recruiting her for the past couple of years," said Graewin. "She's a friend of a few of our men's players and they have told me a ton about her game and I couldn't be more excited to add her to our program. She's an athletic female with a great swing. I think she'll be able to fit right into our women's team."
Drew enters the 2023 recruiting class from Waukee, Iowa. Pelton helped his Waukee Warriors team to a third-place finish at the AAAA State tournament. As a senior, Pelton finished the season with an 18-low of 71 and featured multiple top-five finishes and a scoring average of 77. The Waukee native won the 18-hole event at River Valley Golf course with a score of 74. Drew is an Iowa Central legacy as both of his parents are Triton alumni and he also is a wrestler for the Warriors.
"One of the biggest things I liked about Drew as a player was his demeanor," said Graewin. "I've watched a lot of high school golfers and Drew is one of the best at staying calm when good things happen and when things go a bit sideways. His leadership with his high school golf team and his high school wrestling team will be a big asset to our program. I'm thrilled to have Drew as a part of the Triton Family and I'm looking forward to his future here."
With the signing period opening up Tuesday, Graewin thinks there will be more additions to come in the future.
"We're always looking to add more and more talent to our roster," he said. "There are a few athletes out there that are narrowing down their choices and I think we will be adding to both our men's and women's teams in the coming days."