MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University golf coach Sean Covich has announced the signings of Brody Burgess, Jack Michael and Gabe Schmitz to national letters-of-intent for the 2025-26 academic year.
 
"This is a class that coach Koras and I are very excited about bringing in next year," Covich said. "There are certain intangibles we look for in recruiting, and while all three are very different players, we believe they each have what it takes to achieve success as a person, student and golfer here at WVU."
 
Burgess is a native of Victor, New York, who attends Victor Central School.
 
Burgess Bio:

• 2023 Rochester District Golf Association Player of the Year
• 2023 All Greater Rochester Player of the Year
• 2024 First Team All-State
• Ranked Top Five Best Junior Golfer in New York by Junior Golf Scoreboard
• Ranked inside the Top 200 nationally Best Junior Golfer by Junior Golf Scoreboard
• Second-place finish at the AJGA Kenton County Kentucky Open
• 2023 Runner-Up finish at New York High School State Championship
• 2024 Top Five (4^th place) finish at New York High School State Championship
• Qualified for 2024 US Junior Amateur Championship
• Shot 68 to qualify for the 2023 Monroe Men's Amateur, made the cut and fired a final round 67 in the prestigious amateur event
• Won the 2023 Rochester District Junior Championship
• Won the Men's Club Championship, Cobblestone Creek Country Club (Victor, N.Y.)
• Also played varsity basketball for Victor High
• Majoring in business
• Son of Ashley Thayer and Brent Burgess

 
Covich on Burgess: "We are excited to add Brody to our WVU golf family. Brody is a competitor and an athlete. I love that he is also a high-skilled basketball player who understands 'team' and knows how to compete. He's a big kid who also has a great touch around the greens. I'm excited to see what he can accomplish over his career at WVU."
 
Michael is a native of Huntington, West Virginia, who attends Cabell Midland High School.
 
Michael Bio:

• Top-ranked junior golfer in West Virginia
• Won the 2023 West Virginia Junior Amateur Championship with rounds of 71-68
• Won the 2024 WVSSAC Class AAA High School State Individual Medalist
  • Runner up in 2023 and Third Place in 2022
• Led Cabell Midland to the 2024 WVSSAC Class AAA High School State Championship
  • Team was Runner-Up in 2021 & 2022
• Three-time First Team All-State WVSSAC Class AAA
• Three-time Regional Medalist
• Qualified for the West Virginia Men's Amateur in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024
• Runner-up West Virginia Junior Match Play Championship in 2023 & 2024
• Qualified for the 2024 North & South Junior played at Pinehurst Resort
• Two-time Golfweek Junior Tour tournament champion
• Top 5 (Fourth place) finish the AJGA Bluegrass Junior with rounds of 71-68-71
• Top 10 (Ninth place) finish in the First Tee Miami Junior Classic played on The Blue Monster at Doral
• Four-time Mid-Atlantic Junior Invitational participant
• Two-time Carolina's vs. Virginia's Junior participant
  • Won 2 ½ points helping Virginia's team to victory
• Named All-America Rolex Scholastic Junior Honor Roll
• Majoring in business
• Son of Tiffany and Chris Michael

 
Covich on Michael: "Jack Michael has a tremendous work ethic, plus he knows how to win. Jack has played a lot of tournament golf and brings a ton of experience to our team. I always love being able to get a West Virginia kid who knows what it takes to be successful here. He won't be afraid to work hard, and I have no doubt that he will be successful both on and off the golf course at WVU."
 
Schmitz is a native of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, who attends Hilton Head Christian Academy.

• Runner-Up in the 2024 South Carolina High School State Championship with rounds of 72-72
• Runner-Up in the 2023 South Carolina High School State Championship with rounds of 70-67
• Runner-Up in the 2023 South Carolina Junior Golf Match Play Championship
• Top five finish in the 2024 AJGA Bermuda Junior Championship with rounds of 72-72-74 at Port Royal Golf Course in Bermuda
• Sixth-place finish in the 2024 AJGA Nemacolin Junior with rounds of 69-73-71
• Top 10 finish in the 2023 Carolina's Junior Championship with rounds of 70-71-72
• Helped lead Hilton Head Christian Academy golf team to the 2023 South Carolina State Championship
• Selected to play in the 41^st Carolina's / Virgina's Team Matches
• Won back-to-back Men's Club Championships at Berkeley Hall in 2021 and 2022
• Majoring in business
• Son of Wendy McCuiston and Brian Schmitz

 
Covich on Schmitz: "Gabe is a very accomplished player from South Carolina who will bring a lot of talent to our team. He has competed against great junior golfers being from the Hilton Head Island area. Gabe is a very consistent player who will only get better at the NCAA Division I level. There's a lot to like about his game, and we are excited to add him to an already talented incoming class."