The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Hall of Honor
- Induction:
- 2014
- Class:
- 1981
The individual medalist as a freshman at the 1978 AIAW (Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women) National Championship, Debbie Petrizzi is one of just three ladies in program history to claim individual medalist honors at the national championship (joined by Charlotta Sorenstam at the 1993 NCAA Championship and Heather Bowie at the 1997 NCAA Championship). A four-year letterwinner at Texas, Petrizzi led the Longhorns to three Top 10 team finishes at the AIAW National Championship during her collegiate career. In her freshman season (1977-78), she won the individual national title with a four-round total of 291 (74-70-79-68) at the Grenelefe Golf and Racquet Club in Cypress Gardens, Florida. Her individual championship helped Texas finish in a tie for third place in the team standings. Petrizzi earned All-America honors and claimed the 1978 Honda Broderick Award as the National Collegiate Golfer of the Year. During her junior season (1979-80), she claimed team MVP honors, earned individual medalist honors at the Lady Paladin tournament and paced the Longhorns to an eighth-place team finish at the 1980 AIAW National Championship. As a senior (1980-81), Petrizzi again was named team MVP, won individual medalist honors at the Susie Maxwell Berning tournament and led the Longhorns to a seventh-place team finish at the 1981 AIAW National Championship. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Radio-Television-Film in 1981 and spent two years (1983-84) playing professionally on the LPGA Tour.