Head Coach Ali Green with sisters Ellie (left) and Clare Yeazell (right) when she was the head coach at East Lakota High School.
A Full-Circle Journey: Clare Yeazell Finds Her Home at Toledo
9/24/2026 9:41:00 AM | Women's Golf
West Chester, Ohio native relishing opportunity playing for former high school coach Ali Green
TOLEDO, Ohio - For Clare Yeazell, becoming a Toledo women's golfer was more than a recruiting decision. It was an opportunity to return to her youth.
Long before Yeazell wore the Midnight Blue & Gold, she dreamed of playing for Toledo Head Coach Ali Green. During her middle school years, Yeazell had watched her older sister, Ellie, compete under Green at Lakota East High School. Then when Yeazell joined the team, she quickly developed a strong connection with what would turn out to be her future college coach.
"I absolutely loved going to my sister's tournaments and practices when I was in middle school and watching my sister play for her," Yeazell said. "I clicked with Ali instantly when I became a freshman, and it was just awesome. I thought she was the best high school coach you could have, and she needed to be on the college circuit."
That dream took an unexpected turn in the summer of 2021, when Green was hired as the head coach at the University of Dayton. Yeazell vividly remembers learning the news while traveling with her sister.
"I remember me and my sister were flying out to my grandma's in Colorado and we were in the airport when Ali called us both up and was like, 'Hey, I'm leaving to go coach at Dayton,'" Yeazell recalled.
Green stayed in touch with Yeazell and eventually extended her first collegiate offer. But at the time, Yeazell decided Dayton was a little closer to home than she wanted and ultimately chose to attend Bowling Green.
The experience at Bowling Green provided valuable lessons, but early in her sophomore year, Yeazell began to realize that it wasn't the right fit.
"I ended up at Bowling Green and I learned a lot there," Yeazell said. "At the beginning of my sophomore year, I just kind of realized that it wasn't the place for me. I knew that Ali had taken the Toledo job over the summer, and I almost immediately knew that that's where I needed to be."
By then, however, it was too late for Yeazell to enter the transfer portal.
She knew she would have to wait.
When the portal opened, Yeazell knew exactly who she wanted to call.
"My first text was to Ali," she said.
After contacting several schools to see what they had to offer, Yeazell made her decision official during her visit to Toledo last December. She was already familiar with the University and its golf program after being recruited by the Rockets in high school. With Green now leading the program, the fit felt natural.
"I think it has been kind of a full-circle moment for Clare to be able to get into somewhere that she's more comfortable," Green said. "I think she needed a change for herself mentally and then obviously being able to come to a program to play for a coach that she's already played for added a nice comfort value for her. She's definitely in a place that feels like home for her."
Yeazell was required to sit out a semester following her transfer, but what could have been a frustrating stretch became an important period of growth.
Rather than rushing back onto the course, Yeazell used the time to settle into her new surroundings, build relationships with her teammates and spend additional time working with Green and assistant coach Stephanie Gillette.
"It was a good opportunity for me to get used to everything and find my rhythm and my place with the team," Yeazell said. "I had a lot of time to practice with the coaches and really get prepared for this year."
The biggest area of focus wasn't necessarily her swing. It was her mindset.
"The biggest area I worked on was my mental game," Yeazell said. "I had lost a lot of confidence at Bowling Green, and I was too focused on results and scared of failing. They really changed my approach."
That renewed approach has carried over to the course and into Yeazell's role within the Rockets' program.
Green said Yeazell has already emerged as a leader, not through grand gestures, but through her daily actions.
"Clare is the type of kid that leads by example," Green said. "She's doing exactly what she needs to be doing when she needs to be doing it and is also trying to kind of get all of her teammates to do the same thing."
Yeazell understands what Green is building at Toledo and has embraced her role in helping establish that culture.
"She understands exactly what we want culture-wise, and she's just a great extension of the coaching staff," Green said. "That's so important to what we're trying to become as a program."
Yeazell's return to Toledo has been about much more than golf.
She has also found a strong fit academically, particularly as a marketing major in the University's business school.
"I love the business school here," Yeazell said. "I think it's really cool because all the professors have real-world experience. They have taught me the importance of making connections with people and not be afraid to speak up when you're meeting new people."
Being in Toledo has also opened her eyes to opportunities beyond the golf course.
"I think there are a lot more opportunities in the city of Toledo to help me get internships or jobs down the road," she said.
Green has noticed the growth, both personally and athletically.
"Clare's a lot more mature now and her golf game has developed a lot from a physical standpoint," Green said. "She's always had a good approach to playing the game and that's really a testament to how she played when she was a junior golfer."
That foundation was built early and, in many ways, runs through Yeazell's family.
Golf has always been a family affair for Yeazell.
Her mother, Melissa, played collegiately at Xavier before becoming a PGA Professional and now serving as an associate head coach at Northern Kentucky. Her father, David, was a pro at Moraine Country Club in Dayton and is now a financial advisor now.
"It's awesome to get advice from my mother as a coach and a mom," Yeazell said. "She gives me both perspectives which is really helpful. I can definitely get an honest opinion from her as well as my dad."
Another big impact to Yeazell's development came from her older sister, Ellie, who plays college golf at the University of Findlay and earned NCAA Division II Second-Team All-America honors last year.
"We play and practice a lot together a ton every summer," Yeazell said. "We really challenge each other, and it's awesome just having someone to travel with in the summer too."
For Yeazell, the journey to Toledo has brought together nearly every part of her golf story — family, relationships, confidence and a coach who made an impression on her long before she ever imagined playing for her in college.
What began with watching her sister compete for Green at Lakota East has now come full circle, with Yeazell wearing the Midnight Blue and Gold and helping Green build the next chapter of Toledo women's golf.
Long before Yeazell wore the Midnight Blue & Gold, she dreamed of playing for Toledo Head Coach Ali Green. During her middle school years, Yeazell had watched her older sister, Ellie, compete under Green at Lakota East High School. Then when Yeazell joined the team, she quickly developed a strong connection with what would turn out to be her future college coach.
"I absolutely loved going to my sister's tournaments and practices when I was in middle school and watching my sister play for her," Yeazell said. "I clicked with Ali instantly when I became a freshman, and it was just awesome. I thought she was the best high school coach you could have, and she needed to be on the college circuit."
That dream took an unexpected turn in the summer of 2021, when Green was hired as the head coach at the University of Dayton. Yeazell vividly remembers learning the news while traveling with her sister.
"I remember me and my sister were flying out to my grandma's in Colorado and we were in the airport when Ali called us both up and was like, 'Hey, I'm leaving to go coach at Dayton,'" Yeazell recalled.
Green stayed in touch with Yeazell and eventually extended her first collegiate offer. But at the time, Yeazell decided Dayton was a little closer to home than she wanted and ultimately chose to attend Bowling Green.
The experience at Bowling Green provided valuable lessons, but early in her sophomore year, Yeazell began to realize that it wasn't the right fit.
"I ended up at Bowling Green and I learned a lot there," Yeazell said. "At the beginning of my sophomore year, I just kind of realized that it wasn't the place for me. I knew that Ali had taken the Toledo job over the summer, and I almost immediately knew that that's where I needed to be."
By then, however, it was too late for Yeazell to enter the transfer portal.
She knew she would have to wait.
When the portal opened, Yeazell knew exactly who she wanted to call.
"My first text was to Ali," she said.
After contacting several schools to see what they had to offer, Yeazell made her decision official during her visit to Toledo last December. She was already familiar with the University and its golf program after being recruited by the Rockets in high school. With Green now leading the program, the fit felt natural.
"I think it has been kind of a full-circle moment for Clare to be able to get into somewhere that she's more comfortable," Green said. "I think she needed a change for herself mentally and then obviously being able to come to a program to play for a coach that she's already played for added a nice comfort value for her. She's definitely in a place that feels like home for her."
Yeazell was required to sit out a semester following her transfer, but what could have been a frustrating stretch became an important period of growth.
Rather than rushing back onto the course, Yeazell used the time to settle into her new surroundings, build relationships with her teammates and spend additional time working with Green and assistant coach Stephanie Gillette.
"It was a good opportunity for me to get used to everything and find my rhythm and my place with the team," Yeazell said. "I had a lot of time to practice with the coaches and really get prepared for this year."
The biggest area of focus wasn't necessarily her swing. It was her mindset.
"The biggest area I worked on was my mental game," Yeazell said. "I had lost a lot of confidence at Bowling Green, and I was too focused on results and scared of failing. They really changed my approach."
That renewed approach has carried over to the course and into Yeazell's role within the Rockets' program.
Green said Yeazell has already emerged as a leader, not through grand gestures, but through her daily actions.
"Clare is the type of kid that leads by example," Green said. "She's doing exactly what she needs to be doing when she needs to be doing it and is also trying to kind of get all of her teammates to do the same thing."
Yeazell understands what Green is building at Toledo and has embraced her role in helping establish that culture.
"She understands exactly what we want culture-wise, and she's just a great extension of the coaching staff," Green said. "That's so important to what we're trying to become as a program."
Yeazell's return to Toledo has been about much more than golf.
She has also found a strong fit academically, particularly as a marketing major in the University's business school.
"I love the business school here," Yeazell said. "I think it's really cool because all the professors have real-world experience. They have taught me the importance of making connections with people and not be afraid to speak up when you're meeting new people."
Being in Toledo has also opened her eyes to opportunities beyond the golf course.
"I think there are a lot more opportunities in the city of Toledo to help me get internships or jobs down the road," she said.
Green has noticed the growth, both personally and athletically.
"Clare's a lot more mature now and her golf game has developed a lot from a physical standpoint," Green said. "She's always had a good approach to playing the game and that's really a testament to how she played when she was a junior golfer."
That foundation was built early and, in many ways, runs through Yeazell's family.
Golf has always been a family affair for Yeazell.
Her mother, Melissa, played collegiately at Xavier before becoming a PGA Professional and now serving as an associate head coach at Northern Kentucky. Her father, David, was a pro at Moraine Country Club in Dayton and is now a financial advisor now.
"It's awesome to get advice from my mother as a coach and a mom," Yeazell said. "She gives me both perspectives which is really helpful. I can definitely get an honest opinion from her as well as my dad."
Another big impact to Yeazell's development came from her older sister, Ellie, who plays college golf at the University of Findlay and earned NCAA Division II Second-Team All-America honors last year.
"We play and practice a lot together a ton every summer," Yeazell said. "We really challenge each other, and it's awesome just having someone to travel with in the summer too."
For Yeazell, the journey to Toledo has brought together nearly every part of her golf story — family, relationships, confidence and a coach who made an impression on her long before she ever imagined playing for her in college.
What began with watching her sister compete for Green at Lakota East has now come full circle, with Yeazell wearing the Midnight Blue and Gold and helping Green build the next chapter of Toledo women's golf.
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