Hegg, Holder awarded Southland coach, freshman of year awards, respectively

By Chris Rickerson | Sports editor

The Southland Conference honored Augusta University women’s golf team, naming Coach Caroline Haase-Hegg as Coach of the Year, Chloe Holder as the Freshman of the Year and four other Jaguars to the all-conference teams on Thursday, April 28.

Hegg led Jaguars to win the Southland Conference Championship in their first year as affiliate members of the conference. She is in her seventh year as coach at AU. 

Holder began her AU career with a win at the Mercedes Benz Women’s Collegiate back in the fall season. She also has a third-, fourth- and 10th-place finish so far in her career. 

The Jaguars had two golfers named to first team all-conference in Holder and senior Natalia Yoko. Yoko grabbed her first career this season at the Valspar Invitational at the Jaguars home course. She also finished second at the Southland Conference Championship. 

AU junior Napabhach Boon-In was named to the all-conference second team and freshman Kennedy Carroll was named to all-conference third team. 

Ellen Nicholas of Incarnate Word was named as the Southland Conference Player of the Year. Delaware State’s Nattavadee Khunsri was named as the conference’s Newcomer of the Year. 

The Jaguars will now head onto play in the NCAA regional tournament as the No. 9 seed. The regional tournament will take place on May 10-12 at the Legends Club in Franklin, Tenn. It is hosted by Vanderbilt.

Note: At the top of the page, Chloe Holder tees off at Forest Hills Golf Club. (photo by Madison Keel)

Contact Chris Rickerson at crickerson@augusta.edu.