UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – Saginaw Valley State University men's and women's golf alumni Parker Dietzel and Mandy Ehrlich have continued their academic and professional journeys at Oklahoma State University. Both are involved with OSU's Golf Research, Innovation, and Performance (GRIP) Center and have contributed to the men's golf program that captured the 2025 NCAA Division I National Championship.
Ehrlich, a member of the SVSU women's golf program from 2020–2024, shared insights into her role at the GRIP Center and its impact on the championship-winning team.
"Our research team conducted in-depth performance testing to pinpoint areas for improvement and help optimize on-course performance," Ehrlich said. "This included strength and power assessments using advanced equipment to measure force and power outputs, as well as detailed analyses of right–left side asymmetries and mobility evaluations. We correlated these findings with TrackMan swing data and individual player statistics to provide insight to players.
"Beyond testing, we focused on educating the athletes about how optimizing factors off the course—such as sleep, nutrition around training and tournaments, and proper hydration strategies—could enhance their performance on the course."
Ehrlich credits her time at SVSU with laying the foundation for her success at OSU.
"My background as a collegiate golfer at Saginaw Valley State University, supported by my education in exercise science, prepared me well for this role. Having first-hand experience with the demands of competitive golf—long hours spent practicing and playing, maintaining a strength training program, playing 36-hole rounds, and balancing academics—has allowed me to relate to the athletes and apply evidence-based strategies with confidence.
"This unique combination of golf and performance expertise contributed to supporting one of the top golf programs in the nation on their path to a national title."
Dietzel, who played for the SVSU men's golf team from 2020–2024, also plays a key role within the GRIP Center.
"My time at SVSU gave me a strong foundation in both exercise science and elite-level golf," he said. "Competing while studying the science behind performance taught me what it really takes to succeed in this sport.
"That experience helped me contribute at OSU by offering perspective on how golf-specific insights could be integrated with the data we were collecting. My goal wasn't just to help with testing and data collection. I tried to help make sure the work we were doing actually made sense in a golf setting. I am incredibly fortunate to have been part of such a high-level program, and I'm genuinely grateful for the chance to work alongside some of the best collegiate golfers in the country."
