Freshman Stephanie Meadow knew it would be a transition when she chose to play golf at the University of Alabama, but she thought it was the best decision she could make for herself.

“I just got here and felt that this was it,” Meadow said. “I loved the school, everything about the atmosphere and the facilities. It’s all top class.”

Meadow, who is currently ranked No. 26 according to Golfweek/Sagarin’s individual rankings, shows with her scores that she is becoming more comfortable playing with the Tide.

In the last four tournaments, her scores have increased from tied for 46th to No. 1. She earned her first medalist honors in only her fifth tournament at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic on Feb. 13. She also achieved a career best at 4-under-par, 212.

“I think it will give her more confidence,” head coach Mic Potter said. “But the great thing about her is that she’s not going to really do anything differently except keep trying to improve on every aspect of her game. I think any time you win, you feel like you can win more. I think it brings a lot of good to us and her.”

Meadow is originally from Jordanstown, Northern Ireland, but has lived in the U.S. since moving here to attend the Hank Haney International Junior Golf Academy in South Carolina.

“Playing golf in Ireland, there aren’t as many good competitions,” Meadow said. “I won the Irish Girls Close Championship when I was 15 and knew that there wasn’t much more after that. That’s why I transitioned over to South Carolina and started to play there.”

Meadow won nine titles while competing on the International Junior Golf Tour. She won gold for Ireland at the European Girls Team Championship, which was the first time Ireland had won the championship.

“When you play for your country, it’s like playing for your school,” Meadow said. “You’re trying to represent them and do the best you can with all those people depending on you to win, making it that much better when you do.”

Potter and Meadow both agree that it takes time for freshmen players to acclimate to college life.

“It’s pretty hard at the start,” Meadow said. “It’s the first time of managing for yourself, and upping the play level to college level is different as well. I think now that I have the first semester under my belt, I know how things work and how to go about things.”

Meadow said she hopes other players can learn from her and see her as a leader.

“To know that I can go out and play against people who are four years older than me is a confidence booster to me and the entire team,” Meadow said. “If one person plays well, the others want to play well too.”

Potter said he recruited her because of her technique, her junior record and her strong academic record.

“She was a missing link for us,” Potter said. “We had four proven players, but that one really consistent, solid player was what we needed and she was it.”

Meadow and the Tide will be competing on Feb. 27-March 1 in New Orleans at the Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate.