4/23/2018 | Women’s Golf
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. – With the announcements of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) year-end honors Monday, accolades poured in for the No. 7 Cal State San Marcos women’s golf team.
The Cougars swept the major awards, with sophomore Jaime Jacob being named Player of the Year, Claire Hogle selected as Freshman of the Year and Greg Hutton received his first CCAA Coach the Year accolade.
Joining Jacob and Hogle on the 10-person All-CCAA team were juniors Bergen Benedict and Sarah Garcia, as well as, sophomore Savannah Magallon.
Jacob, who is ranked No. 4 in NCAA Division II according to Golfstat.com, has a team-best 73.3 stroke average. She has won four events this academic year including the inaugural CCAA Women’s Golf Championships held in Sonoma last week. Jacob led throughout the tournament and finished with a 4-over 220. Her second-round 67 is tied for the lowest in NCAA Division II this season.
Hutton becomes CSUSM’s second CCAA Coach of the Year in school history with Volleyball Head Coach Andrea Leonard picking up the honor this past fall. In his four-year as CSUSM women’s coach, Hutton steered the Cougars to the 2018 league crown by 19 strokes, carding a 903 in the three-day, 54-hole event.
Hogle was the 2018 CCAA Tournament runner-up with a 10-over 226. She joined Jacob as the only two to shoot under par in the tournament, carding a 71 in the second round.
Jacob was selected CCAA Golfer of the Week a record three times this season. Garcia nabbed the honor twice and Benedict once as CSUSM won it five out of the 12 weeks, more than any other CCAA school.
Garcia was the individual medalist at CSUSM’s Fall Classic, recording six top 20 finishes and three top 10 finishes. At the CCAA tournament, Garcia carded a 73 on the final day to end in a three-way tie for third with an 11-over 227.
Garcia is ranked No. 62 among NCAA Division II women’s golfers with Benedict closely behind her at No. 66.
Benedict had six top 20 finishes and three top 10 finishes this season with her best being a tie for first at the California Baptist Lancer Women’s Golf Joust on Feb. 27.
Magallon finished in the top 10 four times this season with her best place coming at Augustana College Spring Fling where she tied for third.
The Cougars, who are ranked No. 2 in the latest NCAA West Regional poll, are waiting for the announcement of the west region field which will take place on April 30 at 3 p.m. by a press release.
