New Hope High School senior Logan Pannell never thought he would end up playing college golf.
He’s been involved in the sport since seventh grade, when he started playing for fun, and he’s been a member of the New Hope golf team since his freshman year.
But when the Mississippi University for Women started recruiting him during his sophomore year, Pannell said, he still didn’t have high hopes of playing at the next level. He hardly considered the possibility until last year, he said. That’s when it became real, and things moved quickly.
“This summer, I was like, ‘Yeah, I want to play for the W,'” Pannell said.
Pannell said he decided two months ago he wanted to stick around town and join coach Benji Williams’ program. He signed Tuesday in the New Hope multipurpose room in front of classmates, coaches and relatives, breaking ground among his family in his athletic achievements.
‘I’m the first person in my family to play college sports,” he said, “and that really made me want to play.”
Pannell became the third New Hope golfer to sign to play in college in coach Albert McBrayer’s three-plus years at the helm.
“It’s a good feeling to me,” McBrayer said. “He’s a great kid, and I don’t have any doubt he’ll be successful in the future. I’m excited to see him be able to play at the next level.”
Pannell tied for fifth individually in this year’s Class 4A championship, and McBrayer expects him to win the state title even after a move up to Class 5A.
“That’s my goal, and I hope he’s got that same goal set for himself,” McBrayer said.
In 2018, the Trojans finished second as a team in Class 4A, and McBrayer knows Pannell’s talent gives them a chance to compete again this season.
“Obviously, it’d be great if we could win the team state, too, but I think he has an opportunity to win the individual for sure if he plays his best game,” McBrayer said.
Pannell honed his game with plenty of practice at Elm Lake, where he’s had a job for the past two years — first as a cart boy, then in the pro shop, he said.
“It gives him an opportunity to practice some,” coach Albert McBrayer said. “He’s there every day doing something to try and improve.”
Elm Lake was the site of the Class 4A championships in the past two years, and New Hope is applying to host the Class 5A event this year, too, giving Pannell one last chance to play at his home course during his high school career.”
But when college rolls around, he won’t be far away.
“I love Columbus, and I want to stay here as long as I can with all my friends,” he said.
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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