John Taylor Babbitt '07 Memorial Field | alumni ... - Pingry School

Mary Moan ’93
A professional golfer since the summer
of 2005, Mary Moan ’93 competed in
events on the CN Canadian Women’s
golf tour, events on the Duramed
FUTURES Tour (the official developmental
tour of the LPGA) and in various
state opens during the summer of
2008. Notably, she recently finished tied
for 11th place in the 2008 New England
Women’s Open and in 8th place at the
2008 Maryland Women’s Open.
Although Mary now plays in an average
of two or three tournaments each
month, she once took a five-year hiatus
from competitive golf. After graduating
from Princeton University in 1997, she
pursued a career in sports administration
serving as an administrative assistant
for the USGA (United States Golf
Association), but missed the relational
aspect of the game. She then spent two
years at the University of Florida as
Assistant Women’s Golf Coach and five
years at Yale University as head coach,
but still missed the game.
“I felt like my competitiveness was so
much more. I thought, ‘this is not necessarily
satisfying my desire to be competitive.
I want to play again,’” she says,
and she began playing competitively
again in 2004. Her commitment
requires an exhausting travel schedule.
For example, this past summer, she
drove from Connecticut to Ottawa to
Boston and back to Connecticut—all
in one week. She acknowledges these
challenges but finds that her passion
for the game and competition compel
her to make certain sacrifices.
Her parents inspired her to start playing
golf, and, when Mary was younger, they
played as a family every weekend at
their country club. At Pingry, Joe Forte
coached her for four years as a member
of the Golf Team; in her senior year, she
was second on the team in average and
led the team in birdies, she placed second
in the Prep States against all males, and
she finished in the top 10 in the County
Tournament the same year.
“Mary Moan is the best woman golfer
Pingry has ever had and one of the best
golfers Pingry has had—male or female.
In the early 1990s there were just a few
girl golfers, and girls who wanted to play
golf had to play from the men tees.
These factors made it very difficult to
concentrate and to compete, but Mary
loved the game and persevered through
these factors. She proved herself with
her ability to surpass most of the males
in the state. I am very proud of what
she accomplished,” Mr. Forte says.
Golf appeals to her for a number of
reasons, including the sport’s etiquette
and integrity, and she points out that
the game always changes. “You can play
the same course every day of your life,
and it’ll be different every single time.
You are your own referee,” she says.
She hopes to make a living as a full-time
player and considers it a privilege to
pursue her passion. “I want to represent
Pingry and Princeton and those who have
supported me over the years,” she says.
Mary’s email address is marymoan@
hotmail.com. To follow her career, she
has a blog site: www.marymoangolf.
blogspot.com.
50
the pingry review
BIRTHS
Rebecca (Nazario) Wright and
her husband Don welcomed
their first child, a son, in
July 2008. Alexander Eagan
Wright weighed 8 pounds,
4 ounces, and was 20 ½ inches
long. Mom, Dad, and baby
are doing well.
1993
BIRTHS
Stephanie (Lim) Capello and
husband Charlie are excited
to welcome a little girl to the
family, Ryan Sophia, born
on June 19, 2008, weighing
6 pounds, 9 ounces, and measuring
19 ¾ inches. Ryan joins
his big brother, Max, who
is 2 years old. Stephanie is
the Director of Development
at Please Touch Museum, a
children’s museum located
in Philadelphia, Pa.
1994
BIRTHS
Robert Abraham Lobel and his
wife Dory are proud to announce
the birth of their son and future
MASTERS champion, Jake
Abraham Lobel, on September
4, 2008. He writes, “We currently
live in Whippany, NJ,
and we are all doing great!”
Alexander Eagan Wright
Ryan Sophia Capello
Jake Abraham Lobel