Two standouts from Shorewood High School’s senior class have accepted full-ride, Division I athletic scholarships.
Kim Shin signed a letter of intent in November to continue her stellar golf career at the University of Washington and last month Seth Setterberg verbally committed to play football at Air Force Academy.
After narrowing her choices to Washington, Ohio State and Purdue, Shin ultimately decided to join the Huskies and golf alongside some familiar faces.
“I felt more comfortable because I know a lot of the team,” Shin said. “Some of us played junior golf together. I thought I’d fit in.”
Washington finished 13th at the NCAA regional championship last season and missed out on nationals for the first time in three years.
The Huskies have four freshmen on their current roster and will lose just one senior to graduation.
“They have a history of getting the best players from Washington,” Shin said.
In addition to capturing her first Class 4A state championship last May, Shin was named the 2003 Girls Player of the Year by the Pacific Northwest Golf Association.
For the second straight year Shin received the Jack Baty Award as the Washington Junior Golf Association’s Player of the Year. She finished atop the WJGA points standings in both 2002 and 2003.
Shin won a Junior America’s Cup qualifier tournament and a World State qualifier last summer. She finished in the top 10 at the 2003 Junior America’s Cup and reached the round of 64 at the 2003 U.S. Girls Junior Championship, but was only partially satisfied with the results.
“Most of the summer I wasn’t hitting the ball well,” Shin said. “I was struggling with my swing. I played OK, but I could have done better.”
Shin has never placed lower than fourth at the high school state championships. She finished second as a sophomore and survived a four-hole playoff with Western Conference rival Renee Skidmore to take medalist honors as a junior.
Setterberg had his eye on Air Force ever since the Falcons topped the Huskies in the 1998 Oahu Bowl. The all-league fullback/linebacker checked out the Colorado Springs, Colo., campus during the summer and took an official visit last month.
“I really liked all the coaches. My position coach seemed like a good guy,” said Setterberg, who also received attention from Washington State, Eastern Washington, Portland State, Columbia and Yale.
Two factors in particular sold Setterberg on Air Force. In the classroom, he intends to take advantage of the academy’s pilot training curriculum. On the field, he likes the fullback’s considerable role in the offense.
“Not many programs in the country feature their fullback in their offense as much,” Setterberg said.
According to Setterberg, Air Force’s fullbacks average 10-15 carries per game. He also noted there are some similarities between Air Force’s version of a wishbone offense and Shorewood’s running sets.
“A lot of the plays they run are like the wing-T plays we ran,” Setterberg said.
Setterberg rushed for a team-high 1,145 yards and seven touchdowns in 2003 to push his career rushing yardage to 3,122 in three varsity seasons at Shorewood.
The Thunderbirds went a combined 18-12 overall the past three years and Setterberg guided Shorewood to the district playoffs in 2001 and 2002.
Since Air Force returns a pair of senior fullbacks, Setterberg expects to redshirt next season and play for the academy’s prep school squad.
“We get to play against other prep school teams, like Navy and Army and we play some junior colleges,” Setterberg said. “You’re not sitting on your butt. You get to play games and take time and learn the offense.”
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