When Leina Kim-Cox stands on the podium on October 4 in the ballroom of the Occhiato Student Center to accept her induction into the Athletics Hall of Fame at Colorado State University Pueblo, she’ll be remembering her first day when she stepped on the campus as a teenager in the fall of 2011.
“As a small island girl (Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Marina Islands), going to school in Pueblo was difficult,” said Kim-Cox in an email from her home in North Carolina. “When I graduated high school (Marianas Baptist Academy), there were only 12 students, so attending CSU Pueblo was a cultural shock due to the size of the campus.”
But the “new surroundings” did not bother Kim-Cox on the golf course. She helped the ThunderWolves to a 2014 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title and two runner-up placements in 2013 and 2015. Individually, Kim-Cox ranked among the league’s top performers, as she was the golfer of the year in 2013 and 2015.
“When Greg Dillon recruited me, I didn’t know much of CSU Pueblo and where the university is located,” said Kim-Cox, who gave birth to her first child (Kalea) this spring. “My family took a chance because of how he described the team dynamic and how the community of Pueblo was. It was a no-brainer to choose Pueblo. My only adjustment was living in the desert with a high altitude versus living on an island.”
As for a memorable moment, Kim-Cox said it “was making it to nationals as an individual. Although I would have loved to go with my teammates, it was still an unforgettable time representing CSU Pueblo. I also feel honored to have been recognized by RMAC multiple times.”
In appearing in the 2013 and 2015 NCAA Division II championships, Kim-Cox placed 28th during her redshirt freshman season and 12th as a junior to become the first CSU Pueblo women’s player to earn All-American honors. She missed qualifying for a third national after signing an incorrect scorecard in 2014 at the regionals.
As the first women’s golfer to be inducted into the CSU Pueblo Athletics Hall of Fame, Kim-Cox placed third, third, and first in three appearances in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships. She topped the league leaderboard in 2015 by shooting a record 135 for two rounds, highlighted by a 66 on the final day in Avondale, Ariz. In NCAA West regional play, she placed third in 2013 and 2015.
The only player in program history to be recognized as an all-American. Kim-Cox was named the 2013 RMAC Freshman of the Year. She was tabbed the RMAC Women’s Golfer of the Week 13 times in three years. Following the conclusion of the 2014-2015 season, Kim owned the nation’s best scoring average at 73.2.
“Another memorable moment” for Kim-Cox was playing at the Judson Invitational in June 2014 at Roswell, Ga. “I met LPGA Legends Tour players such as Jane Geddes, Rosie Jones, and Nancy Lopez. It was incredible to meet so many fantastic golfers who inspired me as a young girl.”
With her husband (James Cox) stationed at Fort Liberty in North Carolina, Kim-Cox credits her father (Kwang Young Kim) for getting her started in golf. “My dad has always been my coach throughout my career leading up to college,” she stated. “Besides him, my brother (HB Kim) still mentors me. He is an unbelievable golf coach.”
Kim-Cox said, “It’s hard to remember things off the course, but I can remember the friendships I’ve made with my teammates and classmates. Some of us were almost inseparable, and I am forever grateful that they took me in during the times I wasn’t able to fly home.”
A Business Management major who earned her degree in 2016 after serving a season as a Pack assistant coach, Kim-Cox said she is “grateful for all my teammates. They all took me in like family when mine couldn’t be there due to the distance. One of my favorite memories is when our team would win a tournament, and as we’re exiting the parking lot, our windows would be down, and we’d blast Thunderstruck while the other teams would stare at us.”
Currently a “stay-at-home mom,” Kim-Cox said she is “still golfing, but it has been a while since I last held a golf club since having a baby. I am also my golf course’s club champion for the last two years, and last year, I qualified for the USGA Women’s Mid-Am.”
Before receiving her Athletics Hall of Fame plaque on October 4, Kim-Cox said she is “thrilled to be returning to Pueblo after years of being away. I am also excited to have a reunion and catch up with my teammates and coaches. I will be forever grateful to be a Thunderwolf and thankful to be a part of the class of 2024.
