UMS-Wright senior Frances Brown has signed to play golf at Auburn University. But before beginning her college career, she has a chance to accomplish something no state golfer has ever achieved.

As a freshman, Brown won the individual state championship while leading UMS to its first Class 6A state title. She followed that up with Class 7A individual championships as a sophomore and junior.

No female golfer has ever won four individual state titles, but Brown is a favorite to do just that as a senior.

Signing with Auburn is the culmination of a lifetime goal for the 17-year-old golfer.

“Auburn is such a prestigious program, and I’m so happy for the opportunity the coaches gave me,” said Brown, who also finished second in the state as an eighth grader. “Considering (Auburn coaches Melissa Luellen and Kim Hall) played on the LPGA Tour, they just know so much about the game. I can’t wait to grow my game up there. My whole family are Alabama fans, but they said they’re going to switch over and be Auburn fans, so we will see how that goes.”

UMS-Wright coach Jay Koziol said he is proud to be part of Brown’s journey, which includes a score of 10-under par in last year’s state tournament.

“We only played 27 holes, and she made 10 birdies and no bogies,” Koziol said. “She won by nine strokes. Her last three rounds at the state tournament, where the pressure is supposed to be high, she’s 20-under par. You talk about performing when it matters, she’s done that consistently throughout her career.”

Brown grew up in a house on the 12th hole at the Country Club of Mobile. That’s where director of instruction Rea Schuessler first encountered the eighth grader.

“I could tell right away she was a very hard worker,” Schuessler said. “She was never trying to find the magic potion, because there’s not any. Plus, she loves the game and has a desire to get better every day.”

Schuessler remembers Brown going to her first major tournament outside the region. She fell ill while in California but managed to fight through it.

“She got off to a terrible start in her round and was something like 7-over through four holes. But she ended up shooting 73-74,” Schuessler said. “That told me what kind of grit she has. That’s a special talent in junior golf, because usually when it starts off that poorly it doesn’t come back. That really told me a lot.”

Schussler said her potential is limitless.

“I took her up to Auburn six weeks ago and the coaches said, ‘I think we’ve got a diamond in the rough.’”

Brown was one of six athletes to be honored during Signing Day on Wednesday at UMS-Wright. The others were golfer Thomas Crane to Troy, volleyball player Hope Blalock to the University of Mobile, track and field star Madeline McMurphy to Washington and Lee, baseball player Andy Purvis to Coastal Alabama North and baseball player John Ramsay to Huntingdon College.

Crane helped lead UMS to state golf championships in 2022 (Class 5A) and 2023 (Class 6A). He was low medalist on the team the last two years and won the individual state championship as a sophomore.

Blaylock wrapped up her high school career by leading UMS-Wright to its first Class 5A state volleyball championship. The sister of South Alabama football player Cole Blalock successfully moved to libero to outside hitter and had 109 kills.

McMurphy was barely old enough to walk when she first saw the UMS pole vaulter practicing and decided she wanted to do that. She has already been all-state twice during the indoor season and once outdoors. She is currently second in school history in the pole vault.

Purvis has been the Bulldogs’ closer for the last three seasons but will be a starting pitcher as a senior. He has five wins and 10 saves as a starter the last three years.

Ramsay, like Purvis, helped UMS to the state finals in 2023. The infielder has a career batting average of .338 and fielding percentage of .948.