CARBONDALE, Ill. — Head coach Justin Fetcho announced the addition of two heralded golfers, high school senior Logan Jerrells and freshman transfer Josh Mackin, during the spring signing period. The two join Justin Wingerter, who signed last fall.
“We believe we have put together a very strong class with the addition of these two young men, along with our early signee, Justin Wingerter,” Fetcho expressed. “This class will not only sustain the success of Saluki golf but also help it grow even higher. All of these young men bring a chip on their shoulder mentality, a strong work ethic, and the willingness to be coachable and improve. We are excited that these young men chose to be Salukis and we look forward to having them on campus in August.”
Jerrells resides in Windermere, Fla., but lived in nearby Carterville until he was 13 years old. He is currently ranked as the No. 155 overall recruit in the 2020 class and the No. 20 prospect in the state of Florida according to National Junior Golf Scoreboard (NJGS). Jerrells is the No. 243 ranked golfer in the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) rankings.
He has finished top-15 in four of his last six AJGA tournaments, which includes a sixth-place mark at the Saddlebrook AJGA Junior. Jerrells also finished top-10 in his last two Florida State Golf Association (FGSA) events. The signee shot a 62 to lead the Windermere boys golf team to a title at the 2019 West Metro Golf Championship.
“We are pleased that Logan chose to return to southern Illinois after living here as a child and moving to Florida with his family a few years ago,” Fetcho said. “Logan has been getting better and better in tournament golf and we believe that his best golf is still in front of him. He loves to play golf and we believe his work ethic and passion toward the game will make him a great fit for the Saluki family. With the characteristics and talent that Logan brings, we believe he will make an immediate impact on our program.”
Mackin spent his freshman season at Maynooth University in Ireland and will have three remaining years of eligibility. The native of Dundalk, Ireland is positioned in the No. 1033 spot in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), which would currently rank him second at SIU, behind Matthis Besard (#678). He is ranked as the No. 294 golfer in the European Golf Ranking (EGR).
The transfer represented his home country at the prestigious Home Boys Internationals last August and plays off a 2 over-par handicap. In 2019, he claimed tournament titles at the Ulster Boys Championship and R&A Student Series Ireland. Additionally, Mackin finished runner-up at the Leinster Boy Amateur Open Championships and took fifth overall at the Irish Intervarsity Championship.
“We are excited that Josh chose to continue his collegiate golf in the United States at SIU,” Fetcho said. “Josh is a strong young man with driver swing speeds around 119 miles per hour, so his length will help his acclimation to courses in the U.S. He has competed at the highest level in Ireland, as he represented his country on national teams. He has won the Ulster Boys and finished at the Leinster Boys Championship as well. Josh has a very high ceiling and we expect him to make an immediate impact on our program.”
