Wake Forest Athletics
Deacon Sports Xtra: A Special Place for a Special Talent
3/11/2022 12:32:00 PM | Women's Golf
Four-time All-American golfer Stephanie (Neill) Harner was both consistent and ultra-competitive. She finished outside the top-10 in just four events her entire career from 1992-95.
In one tournament early in her career, Wake Forest women's golf coach Dianne Dailey recalls, Harner's putter broke — and you're not allowed to replace clubs in the middle of a round.
Harner had just made the turn, so Dailey suggested she putt with her driver. That didn't work well, as she three-putted and four-putted before giving up on that concept. Then she tried belly-putting with her sand wedge, also to no avail.
But Harner had an excellent wedge game, so instead of shooting for the green, she instead started laying up just short and then chipping close to the cup.
"She knew if she laid up short from every hole from then on, her chipping was so good, she would only be left with a two or three-foot putt," Dailey said. "So that's what she did, and she made pars the rest of the way and had another top-10 finish."
Growing up in Charlotte, Harner was an obvious recruiting target for Dailey.
"I competed in several junior golf tournaments for the Carolinas Golf Association, then the AJGA certainly brought out coaches to observe," Harner said. "I still remember getting nervous that coach Dailey was watching. I felt very fortunate to be in a position to grow up playing golf and develop, competing with the boys in my high school on my home course. That helped me be determined and competitive.
"The recruiting process was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the coaches and players I met at a bunch of different schools, but quickly narrowed it down and took my five official visits. I was blessed to be in that position. I had the opportunity to brainstorm where I would be the most successful and most comfortable, for meeting my overall goals as a golfer and a person."
It quickly became apparent to Harner that Wake Forest was her top choice.
"It was the people and the relationships," she said. "No teenager wants to be overwhelmed academically, so you want to know you're going to be supported and feel successful. Coach Dailey and Wake Forest put that in view for me. Everybody involved in the process was kind and outgoing.
"Wake Forest is such a special place. My experience at Wake Forest was really real. I'm just so grateful for that. It's about the relationships. You might forget the scores and the shots, but you remember how you feel when you're with those people."
Harner found success right off, earning All-ACC recognition as a freshman.
"We had a great fall my freshman year. I was so happy to be there and so comfortable," she said. "I felt welcomed by the upperclassmen on the team and we were just ready to go play. I was able to get off to a pretty good start individually and was enjoying my classes and teachers. It just felt like home. Let's do this and enjoy all the opportunities available."
Dailey, who was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame earlier this year, was a great mentor and teacher for Harner during her four seasons on the team and beyond.
"She's a wonderful representative for collegiate athletics, as well as an incredible teacher and coach," Harner said. "She did everything for us as a coach. She handled all the details, created practice plans and got to know each of us in such a personal way, trying to understand what would help us be our best.
"Golf was part of that, but also academically and socially — all the components that were a part of being a young adult away from home. She always was a good listener and communicated openly and honestly."
She earned All-ACC recognition all four years at Wake Forest and earned ACC Player of the Year in 1995 — largely because of her consistent championship-level performance.
"I do take a lot of pride in that," Harner said. "Every time I played, I was in it to win it. I always wanted to bring my best. I can thank my parents and coach Dailey for that approach to life. Everything I do I hope will bring glory to my Lord and Savior. If I have some ability that I've been given, I need to make sure my effort is there.
"Golf is a game for a lifetime. You're on a path to get better over time. There are going to be setbacks, and those were addressed, whether it was ball-striking, putting or the way I handled frustration on the course. I grew during my time at Wake Forest to better handle my emotions and the sports psychology of it all. You want to visualize productive shots and good scores, even when things aren't going well for you."
Harner is currently teaching at Charlotte Country Day, where she also coaches the girl's golf team.
"This gives me the chance to be the kind of wife and parent that I want to be, while also providing the opportunity to be engaged with young people," she said. "I'm so appreciative of the teachers and coaches who helped inspire me. It's a nice career fit for the type of day-to-day life I want while also hopefully inspiring others."
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In one tournament early in her career, Wake Forest women's golf coach Dianne Dailey recalls, Harner's putter broke — and you're not allowed to replace clubs in the middle of a round.
Harner had just made the turn, so Dailey suggested she putt with her driver. That didn't work well, as she three-putted and four-putted before giving up on that concept. Then she tried belly-putting with her sand wedge, also to no avail.
But Harner had an excellent wedge game, so instead of shooting for the green, she instead started laying up just short and then chipping close to the cup.
"She knew if she laid up short from every hole from then on, her chipping was so good, she would only be left with a two or three-foot putt," Dailey said. "So that's what she did, and she made pars the rest of the way and had another top-10 finish."
Growing up in Charlotte, Harner was an obvious recruiting target for Dailey.
"I competed in several junior golf tournaments for the Carolinas Golf Association, then the AJGA certainly brought out coaches to observe," Harner said. "I still remember getting nervous that coach Dailey was watching. I felt very fortunate to be in a position to grow up playing golf and develop, competing with the boys in my high school on my home course. That helped me be determined and competitive.
"The recruiting process was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the coaches and players I met at a bunch of different schools, but quickly narrowed it down and took my five official visits. I was blessed to be in that position. I had the opportunity to brainstorm where I would be the most successful and most comfortable, for meeting my overall goals as a golfer and a person."
It quickly became apparent to Harner that Wake Forest was her top choice.
"It was the people and the relationships," she said. "No teenager wants to be overwhelmed academically, so you want to know you're going to be supported and feel successful. Coach Dailey and Wake Forest put that in view for me. Everybody involved in the process was kind and outgoing.
"Wake Forest is such a special place. My experience at Wake Forest was really real. I'm just so grateful for that. It's about the relationships. You might forget the scores and the shots, but you remember how you feel when you're with those people."
Harner found success right off, earning All-ACC recognition as a freshman.
"We had a great fall my freshman year. I was so happy to be there and so comfortable," she said. "I felt welcomed by the upperclassmen on the team and we were just ready to go play. I was able to get off to a pretty good start individually and was enjoying my classes and teachers. It just felt like home. Let's do this and enjoy all the opportunities available."
Dailey, who was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame earlier this year, was a great mentor and teacher for Harner during her four seasons on the team and beyond.
"She's a wonderful representative for collegiate athletics, as well as an incredible teacher and coach," Harner said. "She did everything for us as a coach. She handled all the details, created practice plans and got to know each of us in such a personal way, trying to understand what would help us be our best.
"Golf was part of that, but also academically and socially — all the components that were a part of being a young adult away from home. She always was a good listener and communicated openly and honestly."
She earned All-ACC recognition all four years at Wake Forest and earned ACC Player of the Year in 1995 — largely because of her consistent championship-level performance.
"I do take a lot of pride in that," Harner said. "Every time I played, I was in it to win it. I always wanted to bring my best. I can thank my parents and coach Dailey for that approach to life. Everything I do I hope will bring glory to my Lord and Savior. If I have some ability that I've been given, I need to make sure my effort is there.
"Golf is a game for a lifetime. You're on a path to get better over time. There are going to be setbacks, and those were addressed, whether it was ball-striking, putting or the way I handled frustration on the course. I grew during my time at Wake Forest to better handle my emotions and the sports psychology of it all. You want to visualize productive shots and good scores, even when things aren't going well for you."
Harner is currently teaching at Charlotte Country Day, where she also coaches the girl's golf team.
"This gives me the chance to be the kind of wife and parent that I want to be, while also providing the opportunity to be engaged with young people," she said. "I'm so appreciative of the teachers and coaches who helped inspire me. It's a nice career fit for the type of day-to-day life I want while also hopefully inspiring others."
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