Durant’s Opfer picks Tulane

Posted Feb 24, 2010 by Adam Adkins

Updated Feb 24, 2010 at 03:49 PM

Madison Opfer never envisioned the recruiting process ending so quickly, but Tulane ended up offering everything she wanted.

That prompted Opfer, a sophomore golf standout for Durant, to recently give a verbal commitment to the Green Wave, a Division I program located in New Orleans.

Opfer said there were two factors that played heavily in her decision – though neither one was the chance to attend Mardi Gras (though she did say that was part of the recruiting pitch).

“I went up there for an unofficial visit, and I pretty much just fell in love with the campus,” she said. “And the coach (John Thomas Horton), I really felt comfortable with him. That was a really big thing for me, to find a coach to get along with and who I would feel comfortable with for four years of college.”

Opfer has been one of Hillsborough County’s most successful girls golfers over the past two seasons and earned Tribune All-Hillsborough County first team honors each time. She won a district title and finished eighth in the Class 2A state tournament as a freshman. As a sophomore, Opfer won a region title and tied for fourth at the 2A state tournament. She also helped the Cougars’ team qualify for state each year; Durant finished fourth in 2008 and third in 2009.

While she might not have planned it this way, Opfer said she is relieved to have the recruiting process over so quickly.

“I feel like now I can just really work on my game and getting my game up to par for college,” she said.