SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University women's golf program and head coach Krystal Kelly have received a National Letter of Intent from prep golfer Kaci McCartan (Plano, Tex./Ursuline Academy) to study at Santa Clara and play for the Broncos in 2011-12.

"Kaci is an exceptional student with a great work ethic," said Kelly, who has made McCartan her first official signee since being promoted to SCU head coach in February. "I think she will be a great asset to our program and I am really looking forward to coaching her."

McCartan has led Ursuline to a pair of Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) 5A State Championships, and is aiming for a third this spring. She has finished among the state's top ten in each of her first three prep seasons and is a three-time all-state honoree. As a sophomore in 2008-09, McCartan's top five finish helped Ursuline win its first state title since 1994. In 2009-10 Ursuline won it again, this time by 55 strokes.

McCartan has won several Texas Legends Junior Tour (TLJT) tournaments, was named the 2009 TLJT Player of the Year, qualified for the Trusted Choice Big "I" Tournament in 2010, and played in the Kathy Whitworth Invitational in 2010 and 2011.

An outstanding student, who owns a 4.22 high school GPA, McCartan, is a National Honor Society and Ursuline Ambassadors club member. She has enjoyed doing different community service projects, including a three-day walk for breast cancer in 2009 and tutoring at various elementary schools.

Born and raised in Plano, Texas, she is the daughter of Luan and Mike McCartan. Her older brother, Kyle, currently plays golf at Boston College.