WGolf Off-Season Q&A: McKenzie Cutter

Feb. 9, 2015

Redshirt junior McKenzie Cutter (Waldorf, Md.) is coming off the best season of her collegiate career after posting a 78.21 stroke average this fall. She saw action in all five tournaments and notched a pair of top-10 finishes. Cutter turned in her top performance of the season with a 15-over-par, ninth place tie at the St. John's Intercollegiate. Earlier in the season, she tied for eighth at the season-opening Bucknell Invitational. At William & Mary, Cutter posted a career-low, 1-over-par, 73, in the final round.

Coach Doell's Thoughts on Cutter:
"While we started the program in 2010, the 2011 class was the first class that I recruited from Day 1. We always joke that Mckenzie was "my first recruit" as she was the first verbal commitment that I received for the 2011 Class. I have loved having the opportunity to coach her.

She has been faced with quite a bit of adversity- a change of majors, back surgery that led to a medical waiver forcing her to sit out a year and a bout with mono just as she was recovering from surgery and becoming competitive again. I am proud of Mckenzie for fighting through these things while being a great teammate to those around her. For some time, she had to go from lead role to supporting role which is not always easy to do. Mckenzie did it with grace and has now worked her way back into that "lead role" position."

1. What were the main factors guiding your decision to attend Seton Hall and compete for the Pirates?
The main factor in coming to Seton Hall was being able to come to a new young team that I would have a change to grow as the team was also growing. To help set a foundation for future program. I also did this with my high school team and I got a lot out of the experience.

2. What are some of your best experiences at Seton Hall, to date?
Some of my best experiences here at Seton Hall were:
1. Being able to travel with the team to Big East and being a part of the Big East victory last year and being able to travel to Regionals with the team
2. Our first team victory in team history with my second place finish (Siena)
3. Spring break trips - especially to Cali

3. What are you most proud of in your athletic career?
I am most proud in the way I have overcome the many challenges which I have faced in my time here as a student athlete, also in the way I feel like I have grown from these and have sort of let go of defining myself as what has happened and used them as a learning experience for the future to make me stronger both physically and mentally.

4. What are you studying and why did you decide to choose that major?
Psychology - At first I was not a psychology major, I was a biology major, but then decided to change to psychology because I felt that I had more on an interest in psychology, especially with playing a sport that your mental game plays a large portion in your performance I felt that for the future in what I want to make of my career in golf or working with elite professional athletes, this would be the most beneficial and most interesting.

5. What three words would you use to describe yourself as a student-athlete?
Motivated / Determined / Patient

6. What three words would you use to describe your team?
Strong-minded / Happy-go-lucky / Focused

7. If you could go back to your freshman self, what advice would you give yourself?
I would tell myself to be patient and don't give up even if it seems like the work youre putting in its working, keep putting in more , give it everything you have and it will pay off you just have to have confidence in yourself and trust the process.

What are your plans after school?
Graduate School here at Seton Hall in the MA Psychological Studies (Sports and Exercise Psychology Program)