The first question upon meeting the No. 1 player on the Morehead State women's golf team is about her unusual first name.

That player being Gypsie Hutchinson, a sophomore out of Lexington Christian Academy.

"My great-great grandmother on my mom's side was named Gypsie. She was a full-blooded Cherokee Indian, so definitely unique," Hutchinson said. "I love it. I don't think I've ever met another Gypsie before."

Hutchinson offers another fascinating family tree story.

Her great uncle, Harry "The Horse" Liversedge, was commander-in-chief of the troops who planted an American flag atop Iwo Jima's Mount Suribachi. Liversedge served in both World War I and World War II. He was a two-time Olympian, winning a bronze medal in shot put at the 1920 Antwerp Summer Games.

Gypsie's immediate family consists of father Bill, who is a kindergarten teacher, and mother Mindy, an accountant for an international dairy company.

Gypsie has another family member of sorts in Coach Stephanie Barker, who sold her on attending MSU.

"I'm an only child, so I wanted to be kind of close to home," Hutchinson said. "And, to be completely honest, Stephanie was like my second mother. As soon as I met her, I was like 'this is just like my mom.' So it's amazing to go out there because, not only do I look at her as a coach and someone I look up to, but just like my mom she'll keep me in check and make sure I'm on task all the time."

Barker, coaching her 10th Eagles team, laughs upon learning of the "second mother" comment.

"I laugh because it used to be the girls would say I was like an older sister, so I guess I'm aging myself now that they look at me like their mom!" Barker said. "I think we attempt to set up our program where everyone's family on campus – my husband, my son and I. I think Morehead State's athletic department is set up in a way where we're very family oriented. We have that going for us as a department and as a team and as a university. My hope is that I have that bond with Gypsie and, hopefully, all the girls."

Hutchinson is the "family leader" on the course.

Over five events in the fall season, she led the Eagles with a 76.8 stroke average, exactly 2 strokes better than her next-best teammate, Barbara Roether.

"I think at the end the fall I really got myself together and I'm extremely confident right now," Hutchinson said. "I'm excited." Hutchinson fired a career-best of 2-under 70 in the Chris Banister Classic, where she placed sixth. Her best tournament finish came in the NKU Fall Classic, taking second in a field of 82 golfers.

That 76.80 average is down from 77.9 her freshman year. She'd like to drop to 75.9 this semester, even though the spring schedule tends to feature tougher courses.

Majoring in sport management, with a minor in communications, Hutchinson has all-around skills. She's most comfortable with a particular type of club in her hands, though.

"No matter where I am in the fairway, on the rough, I can always rely on my irons to grind, get out there and get on the green so I can make a birdie putt," she said.

Between fall and spring, Hutchinson has been working with Lexington swing coach Curtis Mitchell.

"I've been playing a ton," she added. "Our coach has been making us go out on the golf course rain, shine, snow, muddiness. And that's really helped because, if you can continue to play like you're in a tournament all the time, when you get up to the first tee in your first tournament, it's like a normal day."

Barker likes what she is seeing from Hutchinson, including her mental approach.

Hutchinson recently met with a sports psychologist. They talked about wanted publicity, excitement and wanting to succeed every time.

"I think if I just keep in my bubble and focus on that, then I can succeed this spring just as well," she said.

Barker says the mental part of the game is where Hutchinson has improved most.

"It's just letting go of mistakes, not bringing that mistake to the next hole or letting one mistake affect her more," Barker said. "I think she's really matured in that aspect."

And there's still room to grow in that area, the coach says.

"I think if she continues to work on (her mental game), even though it's a strength, if she continues to build on that, I think she's going to do really well. Because we can all hit it. We can all putt. We can all chip. But the mental game is huge. So the better she gets at that, the better player she's going to be, the lower scores, winning tournaments."

Hutchinson says she feels success any time she plays well, regardless of placement. Yet, she's always looking to crack the top five, the top 10 or at least the top 20.

"I think if I can continue each tournament to go in and finish like that, that's a successful thing for me," she said. "For my team, I would love to win a golf tournament this spring. And I feel like all our games are truly starting to come together. … I feel like we can get a win this semester."

The first tournament on the fall schedule is the Amelia Island (Fla.) Collegiate, Feb. 19-20. Four events will follow, and then the Ohio Valley Conference Championships, April 16-18, at Muscle Shoals, Ala.