CHICAGO (December 22, 2022) – Whether it's contending for state championships in her home state of Michigan, or competing at the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship at Chambers Bay, freshman Adie Maki brings a plethora of tournament experience to the Loyola University Chicago women's golf team.
 
Upon arriving on campus for the 2022-23 season, Maki was faced with being one of two newcomers (and only freshman) to a team comprised almost entirely of last year's roster. Nevertheless, she quickly meshed with the team and began contributing right away. 
 
"Coming in as a lone freshman is never easy but I think Adie has done a really good job of handling it," said teammate Lorenza Martinez. "As far as golf goes, she has a great work ethic and it hasn't gone unnoticed. We have enjoyed having her on the team so far and I'm excited to see how she succeeds in the future."
 
Maki says she did not find the transition to a new team to be difficult whatsoever. 
 
"All the girls have been really welcoming and it was really easy to get right in with them," she said. "The culture is just great here and it's something I feel like you can't find in many other places."
 
Despite her success on the golf course, golf was not Maki's primary sport early on. She started off as a swimmer before injuries forced her to abandon the pool and take up golf as a freshman at Ann Arbor Skyline in 2018.
 
"Adie came to us as an athletic ninth grader just getting into the golf world," said Maki's former high school coach Ashley Mantha. "She grinded and improved leaps and bounds each year. Her passion, work ethic, and mental toughness that motivated and inspired those around her. She has the matching winning personality as well as one of the kindest and caring individuals you'll meet."
 
Maki ended her time at Skyline as the program's top girl golfer in program history according to Mantha. Maki currently holds the record for the school's lowest individual round (68) and scoring average (73.3) and shined when it mattered most, taking home a pair of top-five finishes at the state tournament in Michigan in her junior (T-2nd) and senior (T-4th) seasons en route to being named to the All-State Teams in both years. Even with all of her high school achievements, the highlight of Maki's amateur career came shortly after graduating high school, when she qualified for the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship after taking co-medalist honors at her qualifying event in July of 2022.
 
Maki arrived at Chambers Bay in August alongside the top amateur women's golfers in the world. Although she did not advance past the stroke-play stage, Maki felt that week gave her valuable lessons. 
"It's the best experience I have ever had," Maki said. "Being around that level of play shows you what you have to do to get to that level and I think that was a big thing I learned playing there."
 
Maki joined an elite club within the Loyola record books despite not even playing in a single tournament for the Maroon and Gold. She became the first and only Rambler to qualify for the Women's Am since former Rambler and fellow Michigan native Elayna Bowser did so in 2018. Bowser is regarded as one of the program's top players in its history, holding the record for the lowest scoring average, averaging 77.25 strokes across 97 rounds. 
 
"I knew coming here about all that [Elayna] has done at Loyola and all the records she's set," said Maki. "I also knew she qualified for the US Am and I'm excited that I was able to as well."
 
For Maki and the team, they are all playing for the first time under Loyola head coach Brandy Johnston, who is in the midst of her first season at the helm of the Ramblers. According to Maki, the team hasn't struggled at all with the transition. 
 
"Brandy's been great," Maki said. "She's given me a bunch of drills to work on and to help improve my game and looking at stats as to where I can improve in aspects where I previously hadn't looked at that I think is very beneficial to improving in the long run."
 
The Ramblers are currently enjoying one of their best seasons ever, taking two wins at the end of the fall season. For Maki, this season has already been memorable. 
 
"Those two wins were electric," Maki added. "I think the team has gotten a lot better over the years and the wins show where the program is heading."
 
It was at the second of the two wins, the Loyola Parkinson Invitational in October, where Maki took home her top result of the season so far. She shot a 235 (83-76-76) enroute to a share of 10th place at the Merit Club in Libertyville, Ill. in October. According to Martinez, it was Maki's game that greatly aided the Ramblers to the victory. 
 
"She's a long hitter and she was key in helping us get the win at the Merit Club," the graduate student added.
 
With the season in intermission, Maki now spends her days doing one of her favorite activities: frequenting the gym. 
 
"If I don't lift in a day, it's not going to be a good day for me," she said. 
 
Maki also enjoys going to other Rambler sports events and often attends volleyball and basketball games among other events in order to support her fellow Ramblers.
 
"I was kind of shocked about how closely knitted the athletic community is," Maki added. "When we had our home tournament, a bunch of people came to support us and it really helped. It's important to know that everyone is here to support each other and we all want everyone to do their best to keep improving."
 
While her collegiate career is just beginning, both her character and play is something to be admired by Coach Johnston. 
 
"What stands out to me about Adie above all things is her attitude," Johnston commented. "She is truly thankful for everything and I have never met anyone quite like her. She is someone I believe will have a very positive impact on our program during her time here and long after she is gone."
 
"With her work ethic and commitment to being the best she can be, the sky's the limit for Adie."