Elle Sluss Becomes Second Golfer in Class of 2025 to go Collegiate
Elle Sluss lines up a putt at Brookside this year.
LHS senior Elle Sluss will head to Kalamazoo to play for the Hornets in the fall.
Justin Scott - Sports Reporter
16 Jan. 2025 - Appeared in January 8th Ledger
Gabrielle Sluss, who goes by “Elle”, has always been a part of a sports family. Her oldest brother Ethan was a four-year three-sport student athlete at LHS in golf, basketball, and football. Her second brother Cam played football, baseball, golf, tennis, and basketball growing up before settling on golf and tennis as four-year LHS sports with two years of basketball. Elle, a long time soccer player, continued playing soccer, and also played some basketball in high school. It was golf that Elle showed immediate success and talent her first year on the team.
Elle scored in the 40’s for 9 holes and 90’s for 18, a low round in regionals to break through to states as a freshman.
Working over the summer at Arrowhead Golf Course, Lowell’s home course, Sluss broke through and sophomore year scored an 81 for 18 and a school-record 36 for nine holes, and another state finals appearance.
Soon other Red Arrows caught up, including Hope commit Leah Krieger, and junior Elyse Veldman. Lowell broke through Elle’s senior year for a regional title, and here in her senior year a run at a state title, finishing third.
“The recruiting process was stressful. Not knowing where I would end up and there being endless possibilities of colleges out there was definitely very stressful. I was told a number of times to just enjoy it though because soon it will all be over, and that is exactly true. Last year I could have never guessed where I was going to end up. After talking to many coaches, and taking tours of the schools I was able to narrow my options down completely,” Sluss told the Ledger.
Several universities were on her mind including Spring Arbor where Cam plays golf. The three schools it came down to were Lake Superior State, Kalamazoo, and Saginaw Valley State. Ultimately it was Kalamazoo College, known down there simply as K College, that won out.
“The moment I met the coaches I knew that Kalamazoo was the place for me. They made me feel welcome and at ease during our initial meeting. They have continuously shown since then that they truly care about me as a person. Even though my season did not go how I wanted, the team and coaches were always sending me encouraging messages and videos. The college itself is academically prestigious which was another significant factor for me. The concept of a small class with a chance to ask questions and learn more about the class I am taking intrigued me even more,” Sluss added.
The Hornets play in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association along with Hope, so Sluss and Krieger are likely to see each other on the golf course again. Both in orange, just different shades of orange.
“My dream has always been to be a Pharmacist. I am in a Pharmacy Tech program at KCTC right now, and I am loving it. I plan to major in Biology and minor in Chemistry at Kalamazoo College. After my four years I hope to go to the College of Pharmacy at Ferris State University,” Sluss concluded.
Elle has one more sports season left, where she will either close out her soccer career or try something new and run track.
During Lowell's state championship run at The Meadows, Sluss chips the ball on hole 18.
