CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. -- The Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-American Scholars were announced today (July 8) and three Sycamores were selected by the national organization. All told, a total of 1,097 women's collegiate golfers were recognized this year with this prestigious honor.
Sierra Hargens,
Sophie Benetti and
Kayla Ryan were each honored by the WGCA. The criteria for selection to the All-American Scholar Team are some of the most stringent in all of college athletics. The minimum cumulative GPA is 3.50.
Hargens, who carries a 3.84 GPA in Mechanical Engineering, finished the season with a 77.9 strokes per round average and enjoyed a pair of low rounds on the year of 71. She recorded those two rounds in the season opener at Youngstown State and again later in the fall at Ball State. At the MVC Championship, Hargens tallied rounds of 77, 73 and 79 for a total of 229 and a tie for 12th place. She had a pair of birdies on the final day. Her total of 229 ties with her performance last year for her best ever at the MVC Championship and her tie for 12th place is her best showing in three years of playing in the league championship. She was named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete Team.
Benetti, owns a 3.62 GPA in Biology, finished her final Sycamore campaign with an 82.0 strokes per round average. At the MVC Championship, she recorded rounds of 82 and 74 on Monday then came back with a 78 in the third round for a total of 234 and a tie for 25th place. On Tuesday, Benetti recorded a birdie on the par-4 No. 9 hole. Her season-best round of 74 came at the MVC Championship.
Ryan, who possesses a 3.84 GPA in Exercise Science, ranked 32nd in the MVC this past season with a 79.92 stroke average. She completed a breakout season with rounds of 82, 75 and a final round of 74 for a total of 231 which tied her for 15th place in the field at the MVC Championship. She owned a pair of birdies during the final 18 holes. Her 231 was a career-best for 54 holes and her tie for 15th place is her best showing in two appearances in the MVC Tournament.
