The women’s golf team finished fourth at the Big East Championship last spring. Photo by Andrew Buckley
BROCK DANAHEY | STAFF REPORTER | bldanahey@butler.edu
“Welcome to the Team” is a Q&A series where the Collegian sits down with student-athletes who are entering their first season at Butler University. These articles will address why they chose Butler, what they hope to get out of their first season and some personal tidbits that you won’t find anywhere else.
This week, Staff Reporter Brock Danahey sat down with the three first-year golfers for the Butler women’s golf team: Maddie Diedrich, Yaya Sadamoto and Treva Dodd.
Treva Dodd is a 5’5” first-year from Brookfield, Wisconsin. Photo courtesy of Butler Athletics.
THE BUTLER COLLEGIAN: How did you get into golf and what is your favorite part about the sport?
TREVA DODD: I started playing golf when I was really young because my mom grew up playing golf as well. I kind of followed her lead and she taught me how to play. I really love playing golf because I feel like there’s so much variety with every shot. Each time you swing the club it’s different. You get to travel all across the world to play all different courses. I also love meeting new people and building friendships with people all across the country.
TBC: What is your favorite part about Butler so far?
TD: My favorite part about Butler, so far, is the population size. There’s not too many people, and there’s not too few people. You meet new people every day and you see a lot of your friends around. I also love the buildings and the architecture. It’s all very modernized and I’m having a lot of fun so far.
TBC: What is a life lesson golf has taught you?
TD: Patience, because a lot of golf is up and down. You may play well one day and not so great the next. Having the mindset that you can’t be perfect all the time is really great because anything can happen on the course.
TBC: What are your goals for this season?
TD: I already broke one of my goals which was to place in the top five in an event. I also want to play in conference and go to at least two spring tournaments.
TBC: What is something the upperclassmen have taught you?
TD: The biggest thing I’ve learned from them is you should always uplift your teammates, even if someone’s feeling down they really push hard to lift you up and give you compliments and try to help you with your game as much as possible. Off the course, they help you through your classes, socialize, and invite you to events.
TBC: Do you have a match-day routine?
TD: The music I listen to before every tournament is always the same. It pumps me up and gets me going. I always listen to “Reputation” by Taylor Swift since I’m a Swiftie.
TBC: What is your favorite club and why?
TD: Mine is my putter because it’s my favorite color – pink. I play my best when my putter is on fire. I’ve been putting really well lately, and I’m kind of in love with it.
TBC: What are some of your hobbies outside of golf?
TD: I like shopping. My favorite stores are Lululemon, Sephora and Aerie. I play piano and guitar too.
TBC: What is something other than being on the golf team that you want Butler golf fans and students to know about you?
TD: Golfers are not really weird. We can be fun and we’re funny people. We don’t talk about golf 24/7, we can be normal people too.
TBC: What is your favorite golf memory?
TD: My hole-in-one. I had it back in March during my senior year of high school. It was very unexpected because I didn’t think it was going in and the ball just disappeared into the hole. I was playing with my sister and called my parents right after it happened which made it really memorable.
Maddie Diedrich is a 5’7” first-year from Zionsville, Indiana. Photo courtesy of Butler Athletics.
THE BUTLER COLLEGIAN: How did you get into golf and what is your favorite part about the sport?
MADDIE DIEDRICH: I started golfing because my dad works in the golf business, so I’ve just been around golf my whole life. We belong to a country club, and I’ve been golfing ever since I was little. My favorite part about golf is the friendships you make because you have so much time to meet people when you’re playing golf. It’s like a space where you don’t think about anything else and just relax.
TBC: What is a life lesson golf has taught you?
MD: You can accomplish anything you put your mind to. I feel like there are a lot of obstacles in your way if you’re not playing well. A lot of obstacles can be thrown at you while you’re golfing, so it definitely has taught me that anything is possible.
TBC: What are your goals for this season?
MD: I’d like to break par in a tournament, travel to half of the tournaments and play in conference [matches].
TBC: What is something the upperclassmen have taught you?
MD: The way they handle themselves is definitely respectable and I look up to that. I watch how they handle themselves on the course and on campus. They have a lot of knowledge, and it’s nice if you have any questions you can always ask them. They’re great role models.
TBC: What is your favorite club and why?
MD: My pitching wedge. It looks really good. It doesn’t matter the yardage for my pitching wedge, I’m always comfortable swinging it. It’s easiest to hit in my opinion.
TBC: What are some of your hobbies outside of golf?
MD: I love shopping. My favorite stores are Lululemon and Zara. I like to read on occasion. I don’t have a favorite author but I read mostly rom-coms. I also enjoy walking outside and hanging out with my friends and family.
TBC: What is your favorite golf memory?
MD: My senior season of high school golf. I was able to play with all my friends and get close to all the girls I played with. I went to state my senior year, and seeing all my friends support me was really cool. It was so much fun and really memorable golfing with my closest friends.
Yaya Sadamoto is a 5’1” first-year from Kyoto, Japan. Photo courtesy of Butler Athletics.
THE BUTLER COLLEGIAN: Where do you call home, and what are some differences between home and here?
YAYA SADAMOTO: I’m from Japan. I moved to the United States three and a half years ago. The biggest difference between the United States and Japan is the food. I miss eating sushi. I came to Butler because of its location. It’s not in the middle of the city, or in the middle of nowhere.
TBC: How did you get into golf and what is your favorite part about the sport?
YS: I started golf because I watched my step-grandpa play one day and I just wanted to try it. I like how you’re always surrounded by nature; it’s very calming and sometimes you just want to get away from people where it’s just you and nature.
TBC: What is a life lesson golf has taught you?
YS: It has helped me to control my mind and be patient with everything.
TBC: What is something the upperclassmen have taught you?
YS: They are really good role models and teammates. They were nice to me when I first came to Butler and I felt comfortable around them. Just looking at them, I could tell they were way more mature than me. I hope to be like them one day.
TBC: Do you have a match-day routine?
YS: I eat before the match, anything that will keep my energy going. I usually go to Starbucks after the match. Just in case I play bad, something good is waiting for me afterwards. If I play well, that’s my reward.
TBC: What is your favorite club and why?
YS: My eight iron. Everyone has an image going through their head when they swing, and when I stand over the ball with my eight iron it’s what I picture.
TBC: What are some of your hobbies outside of golf?
YS: I really, really like shopping. I watch a lot of fashion shows on YouTube. I love dancing. I get on every dance trend that’s on TikTok, put them in my drafts, and never post them.
TBC: What is your favorite golf memory?
YS: My first tournament in third grade. The last hole was a difficult par three, and I took at least ten shots from the tee. I ended up shooting a 138, but I was still so happy because it was my first tournament.
