Photo by: Rey Del Rio/MSU Athletic Communications
Kehoe Makes Herself at Home at Michigan State, Helping Lead Women’s Golf Program
10/6/2025 1:39:00 PM | Women's Golf
By Hunter Davies
For msuspartans.com
Michigan State senior golfer Taylor Kahoe admits she needed to experience life in different places, outside of her native hometown Strathroy in Ontario, Canada, in order to really know what would work best for her.
She went far from home to start her college golf career, choosing Alabama. Change of scenery, change of weather, and high hopes for a strong academic and golf experiences were her motivations. However, she soon realized her hopes were not reality.
"I have some great memories of my time at Alabama, but it just wasn't the right environment for me and I felt like I needed a change," Kehoe, a public relations major, said. "(MSU) Coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll is awesome, and the coaching here is great and it was a really good transition."
Kehoe, now in her second year at MSU, is happy she transferred to East Lansing. She said she feels more grounded, and thrilled to be closer to home and her family in Canada.
Kehoe has fit right in with the MSU women's golf team since transferring. Last season, she recorded a 72.43 scoring average. That average was second on the team and was the seventh-best single-season mark in MSU history. Kehoe had two top-five finishes and five top-10 finishes last season.
At MSU, Kehoe can make the two-hour drive home to Strathroy to see her family instead of having to drive 20 hours from Alabama every winter break. Being able to visit with family more often has softened the transition of transferring schools. It also helped Kehoe that the Spartans women's golf team treats each other as family, making for a welcoming environment.
"Everyone when I got here last year was so, 'If you need anything let me know,' 'Can I help you with this?' 'How are you doing?' Kehoe recalled. "The coaches really, really care about you, not just in golf but as a person too. We also have a lot of donors and supporters that we get to meet at the beginning of the year and that's a really cool way to start things off and meet a bunch of people like alumni, so you feel like part of the family right soon as you get here."
Slobodnik-Stoll is entering her 29th season as head coach, and is one of the main reasons for the environment of the women's golf team being so welcoming to new members. Slobodnik-Stoll took Spanish classes when half of her team spoke Spanish. She has come to like her players' different music choices on team trips. It's that familial feeling provided within the team that is huge for developing chemistry and comfort for Kehoe to mesh right in with the team.
"That's something that's just ingrained in our program, we didn't do anything special or different because that's the program I've run for 30 years which is a loving, caring, family atmosphere," Slobodnik-Stoll said. "When Taylor and her mom came on a visit two summers ago when she was in the portal, that's what she really saw.
"She knew what she was looking for and I think we definitely provided that."
When Kehoe decided to transfer to Michigan State, it was the second time Slobodnik-Stoll had a chance to recruit her, and she wouldn't let it rest.
"I recruited Taylor when she was a junior player entering college and I wanted her to be a Spartan then," said Slobodnik-Stoll. "As soon as she went into the transfer portal it was my goal to make sure I didn't lose out on her a second time."
When Kehoe entered the portal, it wasn't just about finding the right place to golf. Kehoe majors in public relations, and is a two-time WGCA All-American Scholar, so it was important to find a school where her credits could transfer.
Other than having to take a couple of freshman requirement courses and some summer classes, most of Kehoe's credits were transferred and she is expected to graduate on time in May 2026. Kehoe credits the advising as helpful in making it a smooth academic transition, fully completing her journey to becoming a Spartan.
"That was something I kind of paid attention to when I was transferring is how my credits were going to transfer," Kehoe said. "There were some schools where I could not have graduated on time so I'm happy it worked out here."
For msuspartans.com
Michigan State senior golfer Taylor Kahoe admits she needed to experience life in different places, outside of her native hometown Strathroy in Ontario, Canada, in order to really know what would work best for her.
She went far from home to start her college golf career, choosing Alabama. Change of scenery, change of weather, and high hopes for a strong academic and golf experiences were her motivations. However, she soon realized her hopes were not reality.
"I have some great memories of my time at Alabama, but it just wasn't the right environment for me and I felt like I needed a change," Kehoe, a public relations major, said. "(MSU) Coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll is awesome, and the coaching here is great and it was a really good transition."
Kehoe, now in her second year at MSU, is happy she transferred to East Lansing. She said she feels more grounded, and thrilled to be closer to home and her family in Canada.
Kehoe has fit right in with the MSU women's golf team since transferring. Last season, she recorded a 72.43 scoring average. That average was second on the team and was the seventh-best single-season mark in MSU history. Kehoe had two top-five finishes and five top-10 finishes last season.
At MSU, Kehoe can make the two-hour drive home to Strathroy to see her family instead of having to drive 20 hours from Alabama every winter break. Being able to visit with family more often has softened the transition of transferring schools. It also helped Kehoe that the Spartans women's golf team treats each other as family, making for a welcoming environment.
"Everyone when I got here last year was so, 'If you need anything let me know,' 'Can I help you with this?' 'How are you doing?' Kehoe recalled. "The coaches really, really care about you, not just in golf but as a person too. We also have a lot of donors and supporters that we get to meet at the beginning of the year and that's a really cool way to start things off and meet a bunch of people like alumni, so you feel like part of the family right soon as you get here."
Slobodnik-Stoll is entering her 29th season as head coach, and is one of the main reasons for the environment of the women's golf team being so welcoming to new members. Slobodnik-Stoll took Spanish classes when half of her team spoke Spanish. She has come to like her players' different music choices on team trips. It's that familial feeling provided within the team that is huge for developing chemistry and comfort for Kehoe to mesh right in with the team.
"That's something that's just ingrained in our program, we didn't do anything special or different because that's the program I've run for 30 years which is a loving, caring, family atmosphere," Slobodnik-Stoll said. "When Taylor and her mom came on a visit two summers ago when she was in the portal, that's what she really saw.
"She knew what she was looking for and I think we definitely provided that."
When Kehoe decided to transfer to Michigan State, it was the second time Slobodnik-Stoll had a chance to recruit her, and she wouldn't let it rest.
"I recruited Taylor when she was a junior player entering college and I wanted her to be a Spartan then," said Slobodnik-Stoll. "As soon as she went into the transfer portal it was my goal to make sure I didn't lose out on her a second time."
When Kehoe entered the portal, it wasn't just about finding the right place to golf. Kehoe majors in public relations, and is a two-time WGCA All-American Scholar, so it was important to find a school where her credits could transfer.
Other than having to take a couple of freshman requirement courses and some summer classes, most of Kehoe's credits were transferred and she is expected to graduate on time in May 2026. Kehoe credits the advising as helpful in making it a smooth academic transition, fully completing her journey to becoming a Spartan.
"That was something I kind of paid attention to when I was transferring is how my credits were going to transfer," Kehoe said. "There were some schools where I could not have graduated on time so I'm happy it worked out here."
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