Journal & Topics Media Group

Special Athlete: Cate Reisinger Leads St. Viator Golf To ESCC Crown


Sometimes life just isn’t fair.

St. Viator girls golf had high hopes for regionals and sectionals this year, especially with senior Cate Reisinger leading the way.

Unfortunately, Reisinger and the Lions won’t be competing in the playoffs this year after the Arlington Heights school postponed all athletic activities for two weeks retroactive to Monday, Oct. 5 because of a number of COVID-19 cases at St. Viator.

St. Viator coach Mick Drewes said it is tough on their seniors to have the season and their prep careers end like this.

While Reisinger can’t compete in the state playoffs, she made more than enough special memories over her prep career.

St. Viator senior golfer Cate Reisinger was all smiles this season.

Reisinger won the East Suburban Catholic Conference (ESCC) individual title in 2017, 2019 and again this year. She finished second in the ESCC in 2018 to Lauren Beaudreau, the eventual state champion. Reisinger shot a school conference record 69 to win the ESCC crown by 8 strokes this year.

Reisinger finished top 25 at state all three years she had a chance to compete downstate and is tied for the school record with two state medals. She finished 10th at state in Class 1A in 2017, 22nd in Class 2A in 2018 and eighth in Class 1A in 2019. Only Dana Gattone and Kaela Klune have earned two state medals besides Reisinger.

St. Viator senior golfer Cate Reisinger. (courtesy of Mick Drewes)

Gattone, who played at University of Illinois, was more like an assistant coach on the course, but Reisinger is more of a natural performer and lets her performance do all the talking.

“Cate can play with pretty much anyone,” Drewes said. “You don’t even have to think twice about her. Cate is the most natural player out here. She can get out of her car, walk up to the first tee and just hits her shot like it’s nothing. She is completely natural, just God-given to her. She works hard, but she’s not a drills kind of kid.”

St. Viator won the ESCC title as a team this year for the first time since 2012 and had high hopes for the playoffs. Having someone like Reisinger gives teams a little more freedom for the other golfers. Cate’s younger sister Ava Reisinger (6th at ESCC meet) earned all-conference this year along with Jill Doherty (6th) and Claire Van Bergen (12th). The Lions also went 4-1 in ESCC play this year.

Reisinger competed in Illinois Junior Golf Association (IJGA) and other leagues since 2014, including winning the first two Youth Development Program (YDP) events she competed in that year.

Drewes jokes there is one line Reisinger has repeated over the last four years, and he has full faith in her when she says it: “I’ve got this, coach.” Nothing phases her, according to Drewes.

At the ESCC meet, she just missed sinking a birdie putt, but it lipped out and she ended with a 69 instead of a 68. “She just smiled like, ‘they can’t all go in I guess,’” Drewes said.  

“She has the perfect disposition,” Drewes said. “She’s a smart kid. She is going to Loyola University-Chicago. They got a really good player coming in.”

St. Viator senior golfer Cate Reisinger is ready to play college golf at Loyola Chicago next year.

Drewes said she always looks for challenges on the course and has no fear in trying a tough shot down the course. Reisinger is typically very accurate with her shots.

“I play a lot of golf and some days you just miss shots,” Drewes said. “She’ll hit it a little long or a little short or get a bad bounce (here and there), but (for the most part) she doesn’t miss very many shots, if any, in a round.”

Reisinger, of Park Ridge, comes from a great golfing family, so it’s no surprise that Cate, Ava and E.J. (who played for St. Viator boys for four years) are all successful golfers. 

While Cate is going off to Loyola to make her mark as Division I golfer, Ava will look to pick up where her sister left off.