PEBBLE BEACH >> For more than a year, mutual interest, a courtship you might say, had surfaced between Nikki Iniakov and the Harvard University golf coaches.

The Stevenson High standout was sold on the program. Anxiety, though, was part of the process over the past 12 months as Iniakov had to wait for academic admittance from administration.

“I’ve been holding this in for a while,” Iniakov said. “Admissions can be crazy sometimes. My coaches (Harvard) kept reassuring me things would be just fine. I wasn’t surprised, just relieved.”

The four-time Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division Most Valuable Golfer’s next chapter will be spending four years at Harvard University, with an eye on joining the LPGA circuit down the road.

“I wanted to go Ivy from the get-go for its academics and athletics,” Iniakov said. “All Ivy League athletics are ramping up. I think Ivy (league schools) are becoming more athletically competitive. It is the best of both worlds.”

Iniakov, who aims to become a lawyer after her golf career, is part of a talented recruiting class for Harvard, which was fourth at the Ivy League Championships last year.

“The coaches at Harvard will make this transition easier,” Iniakov said. “They are some of the most supportive and well-rounded coaches I’ve ever met.”

Iniakov put together arguably one of the greatest’s four-year runs in golf in the county and section since current LPGA golfer Mina Harigae golfed at Stevenson between 2004-2007.

A three-time low medalist at the Pacific Coast Athletic League finals, Iniakov qualified for the state championships all four years, placing sixth as a freshman.

“It’s been such an insane four years,” Iniakov said. “It was a whirlwind. Recruiting was a crazy storm in itself. I’m so grateful for every person I’ve met along the way.”

Paired with Ernie Els, Iniakov won the PURE Insurance Junior-Pro title in September at Pebble Beach, and captained Stevenson to their first state meet appearance as a team since 2007.

Over the course of four years, she’s earned four runner-up finishes and one title on the American Junior Golf Association circuit.

With the performances, though, came added pressure, as Iniakov pressed a little this past fall for the reigning eight-time Gabilan Division champions.

“With it being my last year of playing high school golf, I just wanted to live up to what I did in my first three years,” Iniakov said. “I wanted to keep building off that. I always want to improve. So of course there was some pressure.”

Yet, the only goal Iniakov set when the season started was to get back to the state meet, but this time as a team, which the Pirates achieved, placing fourth as a team.

“Overall, I’m happy with how my high school journey ended,” said Iniakov, who sports a 4.1 grade point average.

Along the path came some record-setting performances, including in 2023 when Iniakov shot 8-under for nine holes at Spyglass during a match.

“I do not wish I had played 18 holes that day,” Iniakov said. “If I had parred a hole, I would have been upset. I was happy it ended at nine.”

The 18-year-old birdied eight of the nine holes at Spyglass, with the one par coming when the ball lipped out of the hole.

“It’s a moment I hone into to this day when I’m not playing my best golf,” Iniakov said. “I missed every fairway that day. But I was so calm. That was one day where I truly played golf for what it is.”

The 5-foot-9 Iniakov has developed one of the more powerful swings, sending drives 250 to 260 yards, often setting herself up for the potential of a birdie.

“I’ve never been a numbers type of golfer,” Iniakov said. “My biggest goal during this journey was to just play golf. Swing the club as hard as I can and see what comes of it.”

Having taken a break at the conclusion of the season to focus on her finals, Iniakov will resume her training, with an emphasis on competing this summer in amateur and international tournaments.

Iniakov does not hide from the goal of wanting to turn pro in four years, extending her career for as long as possible.

“I need to manage my time extremely well,” Iniakov said. “Academics will be busy. Golf will be busy. If I get in the practice I need, I should be fine. I’m excited for this next journey.”