Top-ranked West Virginia junior golfer to headline WVU golf Class of 2025

Huntington native and Cabell Midland senior Jack Michael is set to headline a three-person Class of 2025 for the West Virginia Mountaineers golf program. Michael took first-place at the 2024 WVSSAC Class AAA High School State Championship Tournament and led Cabell Midland to a team championship as well -- he is ranked as the No. 1 junior golfer in West Virginia.

"Jack Michael has a tremendous work ethic, plus he knows how to win," WVU head golf coach Sean Covich said. "Jack has played a lot of tournament golf and brings a ton of experience to our team. I always love being able to get a West Virginia kid who knows what it takes to be successful here. He won't be afraid to work hard, and I have no doubt that he will be successful both on and off the golf course at WVU."

Michael has also finished in the Top 3 individually at the state golf tournament on three separate occasions and was a three-time First Team All-State WVSSAC Class AAA selection as a high school golfer. He has qualified for the West Virginia Men's Amateur every year since 2019, and was the 2023 West Virginia Junior Amateur Championship with rounds of 71 and 68 overall at the event. He is also a two-time Golfweek Junior Tour tournament champion.

He will be joined in the recruiting class by Brody Burgess of Victor New, York, who is ranked amongst the Top 200 best junior golfers nationally by Junior Golf Scoreboard and was a 2024 US Junior Amateur Championship qualifier. The class will be rounded out by Hilton Head Island, South Carolina native Gabe Schmitz, a back-to-back individual runner-up at the South Carolina High School State Championship.

"We are excited to add Brody to our WVU golf family. Brody is a competitor and an athlete," Covich said of Burgess. "I love that he is also a high-skilled basketball player who understands 'team' and knows how to compete. He's a big kid who also has a great touch around the greens. I'm excited to see what he can accomplish over his career at WVU."

"Gabe is a very accomplished player from South Carolina who will bring a lot of talent to our team. He has competed against great junior golfers being from the Hilton Head Island area. Gabe is a very consistent player who will only get better at the NCAA Division I level. There's a lot to like about his game, and we are excited to add him to an already talented incoming class."