Archive: Toledo Rocket Success Stories

By Jake Vella, University of Toledo Student Intern
 
TOLEDO, Ohio - Angel Hii and Cheryl Hong have shared a passion for golf that has led them to a world far from their native country of Malaysia.
 
Their friendship goes back to their earliest playing days. Even though they lived far from each other, they quickly formed a lifelong bond while playing junior golf tournaments in their home country. Hong grew up in Kuantan which is on the Malay Peninsula. Hii grew up in Kuching, over 500 miles away on the island of Borneo.
 
Playing throughout Malaysia, Hii and Hong both saw older teammates leave to play college golf in the United States. They decided they wanted to do the same.
 
"Coming to the U.S. and playing college golf is pretty common back home, so it was a thing that we wanted to do," said Hii. 
 
The pair emailed several coaches but got the most enthusiastic response from Toledo Head Coach Jenny Coluccio. They chose the Rockets because of Coluccio and the program's history of welcoming international students. Coluccio said the duo let her know during the recruiting process that they would be a package deal when determining their future home.
 

"They made that clear from the beginning," said Coluccio. "Getting a package deal is very rare, so for them to come together is unique."
 
Hii and Hong connected with Coluccio through regular emails and video calls prior to their departure from Malaysia, which led to a positive first impression.
 
"Both were very sweet, very respectful, and really wanted the opportunity to come play collegiately in the U.S.," Coluccio said. "They were driven to find the right place for themselves."
 
Unfortunately, the pair's arrival in Toledo did not have great timing. Their careers began in the 2020-21 academic year during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first time that they stepped foot in the United States was in January, and they had to immediately go into quarantine for two weeks in Carter Hall.
 
"Our entire program would not allow COVID to crush their spirits," Coluccio said. "We kept reiterating to them that 'this is temporary' and there will be more to college when the pandemic is over."
 
Hong said her teammates were very supportive during this stressful time. "All we were doing was going to class and practicing," said Hong. "We had to rush in between those, because we didn't have a car so we were like 'How are we going to get to our next practice?' Everyone on the team really helped us."

 

The Rockets played their first tournament in February and were limited six tournaments that season. It was not what either of the students imagined that their first year playing in the U.S. would look like.
 
"Everything felt restricted, we had to distance ourselves," said Hong. "We had to get tested for every tournament. After that we got used to COVID after a while."
 
One factor that helped their transition into the student-athlete lifestyle were the professors and mentors they encountered throughout their collegiate journey.
 
Hong, who is an exercise science major with a 3.8 GPA, found comfort through one of her instructors, Andrew Misko. "He's been really helpful and is someone I could go to to discuss my future career path," Hong said.
 
Hii credited her ethics class professor Mick Dier as someone who made an impact on her. "His personality is very unique, so it stood out to me," said Hii who has a 3.9 GPA in criminal justice. "He was a former police officer and interrogator which made him seem intimidating at first, but he was very nice to me."
 
Beyond the assistance that Hong and Hii would get from coaches, professors and teammates, the pair relied on each other to overcome the struggles that they have faced in their time in the U.S. and attending University of Toledo. They supported each other through COVID by going to parks together, grocery shopping, and spending quality time together. The pair has lived together since their arrival, making them a true package deal even after their decision to play golf collegiately.
 
However, with both Hii and Hong graduating soon, they each have their own unique plans for the future.
 
Hong currently has an internship with EAO sports and plans to gain some experience in the exercise science field after graduating. Hii plans on moving to Australia where she has family.
 
And although their love for golf is what brought Hii and Hong together, it is their shared life experiences that both believe will result in a lifelong friendship and future reunions.
 
I'm super grateful to have had the chance to experience this whole journey at UT with Cheryl," Hii said. "We've gone through so much together, and we'll always have each other's backs even after graduating."