From the winning putt at the 2015 Solheim Cup to an 11th place finish in the Olympics, the past two years have been quite memorable for Gerina Piller. In recognition of her growing accomplishments on the LPGA Tour and standout college career, Piller was inducted earlier this month into the University of Texas at El Paso Athletics Hall of Fame.
“At first I couldn’t believe it,” Piller told LPGA.com via email. “I’ve never been inducted into any hall of fame and it was a very proud moment for me.”
Piller played for UTEP between 2003 and 2007 and was named Player of the Year during her senior season. She attended the induction ceremony and dinner along with her husband Martin at the Don Haskins Center and was also recognized during the weekend’s football game against FIU. While Piller has shown her ability to perform under pressure, that weekend the world No.17 was put on the spot in a whole new way.
“I did have to give a speech and to be honest no one even told me I had to and I found out I had to when the first guy was inducted. He walked up to the podium with a piece of paper and I just looked at Martin and was like ‘Oh my gosh, I didn’t know we needed to write a speech.’ So I totally winged it.”
Piller was one of five former athletes to be inducted in the 2016 class and received a ring as a keepsake of her induction, a reminder of the impact her years at UTEP has had on her career.
“It has been such a big stepping stone for me in my golf career and life in general. I couldn’t be more thankful to UTEP and my coach for believing in me and giving me a scholarship to play golf,” said Piller. “I know if it wasn’t for golf I don’t think I would have attended college, much less got a degree.”
Piller is in the midst of her strongest season on Tour since joining in 2010 with nine top-10s so far this season, and seems to thrive in the back half of the year. She has twice finished runner-up at the season’s final event of the year.
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