WICHITA, Kan. - Wichita State women's golf head coach
Tom McCurdy announced Wednesday morning the addition of Kate Tilma to the program for the 2023-24 season.
A transfer from Kansas State and native of Wichita, Tilma will have three seasons of eligibility for the Shockers. Tilma recently completed her freshman season in Manhattan where she competed in three events with a stroke average of 78.56.
"Our program just got better," McCurdy said. "I'm thrilled that Kate has decided to come back to Wichita and become a Shocker. Her game is rock solid, hits it far, is a great ball striker and has a wealth of successful junior golf experience. More than that, she's a wonderful person who is dedicated to her golf and academics, and is the type of person we want to add to continue building our program in the AAC."
Before signing with K-State out of high school, Tilma had a decorated prep career for Kapaun Mt. Carmel. She was the first female to win both the Kansas Junior and Kansas Amateur in the same year (2020). In 2021, Tilma was the North Texas Junior PGA-Texas Star Series Champion. Her senior season at Kapaun, she was the state champion, while also making it to the quarterfinals of the Western Junior. Tilma was a USGA Junior Girls qualifier and in 2020, she was the Oklahoma Junior Tour Championship champion and OJGT Lake Hefner Shootout champion.
She is the daughter of Tommy and Cathy Tilma, who both played at the collegiate level. Tommy played baseball for Wichita State and Cathy was a golfer at both Tulsa and Oklahoma. Both of her grandfathers, Johnny Stevens and Tom Tilma were Shocker athletes. Before enjoying a professional golf career, Stevens played golf and basketball at Wichita State. Tilma played baseball at Wichita State. Her great grandpa Nick Stevens was on the football team at Wichita State. Her cousins Abby Stevens (tennis at Wichita State) and Sam Stevens (golf at Oklahoma State) excelled at the collegiate level, while her aunt and uncle Pam and Charlie Stevens enjoyed collegiate careers in tennis at Oklahoma and golf at TCU, respectively.
