Aliza Hanif ’11

Hometown: Doral, Florida

Aliza Hanif had been playing tennis for nine years when her father took her to a golf course, and she fell in love with the sport. Aliza was 13 at the time and went on to be the first person in Miami to win all four major junior golf tournaments in the area in one year—a feat that earned her the title of Miami Herald Golfer of the Year. Last summer, she placed eleventh in the Florida Women’s State Golf Association Junior Girls’ Championship. “I like that golf is one on one. It’s just you and the course, and it’s your score that matters, no one else’s. Plus, you get to be active outside and enjoy beautiful scenery and landscape,” Aliza said.

Naturally, golf was an important part of Aliza’s college search. “One of the reasons I chose Mount Holyoke is that it has a perfect balance of sports and academics,” she said. “I don’t want to go to a school where sports matter more.” Mount Holyoke’s The Orchards golf course, home of the 2004 U.S. Women’s Open, was a draw as well. “When I saw The Orchards, it was beautiful. It’s so different than anything in Miami.” In addition to golf, Aliza, who is Muslim, has been very involved with her mosque at home and with UMMA, MHC’s Muslim student association.