Daniel Hooker
WCU Athletics
Western Carolina women’s golf had four student-athletes honored Monday as the 2023-24 Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-American Scholars team was announced. Fifth-year senior Victoria Ladd headlined the foursome with her program-best fifth selection with Kayleigh Baker garnering her third nod. Sophomore Brie Mapano collected the honor for the second time in her career with classmate Sadler Miller honored for the first time.
Western Carolina’s four selections were among 1,497 women’s collegiate golfers nationwide from 412 programs recognized with this prestigious honor. WCU has put multiple selections on the WGCA All-American Scholars list in 22 of the 24 years since 2000, landing three or more golfers on the squad 16 times including this year's four. WCU has thrice landed a program-best five on the list (2017-18; 2013-14; and 2011-12). This year marks the 24th consecutive year that Western Carolina has placed women's golfers among the list of annual WGCA honorees – and the 22nd-straight year that WCU has had multiple selections within the same academic year. A combined 22 women’s golfers from the Southern Conference were recognized on Monday including six from Furman, four apiece from WCU and UNCG, three from both Chattanooga and Wofford, while Mercer put two on the honorary team.
The four Catamounts recognized Monday were also selected to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District At-Large team on June 25.
Ladd – who started a position within the Catamount Club development office this summer – is a dual graduate from WCU, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in both sport management and marketing with a cumulative GPA of 4.0. She is also pursuing her MBA at WCU. Baker posted a cumulative GPA of 3.73 while majoring in communication, while Miller boasts a cumulative GPA of 3.92 in majoring in interior design. Mapanao, an All-Southern Conference selection at season’s end with a WCU single-season record 73.41 scoring average, concluded her second year with a 4.0 cumulative GPA while majoring in integrated health sciences.
The criteria for selection to the All-American Scholar Team are among the most stringent in all college athletics and continue to demonstrate high academic achievement. To be selected, a student-athlete must have an overall cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher, be an amateur and on the team's roster through the conclusion of the team's season, and have played in 50% of the college's regularly scheduled competitive rounds during the year nominated through the team's conference championship.
About the Women’s Golf Coaches Association
The Women’s Golf Coaches Association, founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization representing women’s collegiate golf coaches. The WGCA was formed to encourage the playing of college golf for women in correlation with a general objective of education and in accordance with the highest tradition of intercollegiate competition. Today, the WGCA represents over 750 coaches throughout the U.S. and is dedicated to educating, promoting, and recognizing both its members and the student-athletes they represent.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount women's golf and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@wcu_catamounts), and Twitter (@catamounts, @CatamountWGolf).
Western Carolina's All-Time WGCA All-American Scholars:
2023-24: Kayleigh Baker, Victoria Ladd, Brie Mapanao, Sadler Miller
2022-23: Kayleigh Baker, Victoria Ladd, Brie Mapanao, Kaitlyn Wingnean
2021-22: Kayleigh Baker, Victoria Ladd, Kaitlyn Wingnean
2020-21: Victoria Ladd, Hazel Martin, Maya White, Cameron Wood
2019-20: Victoria Ladd, Hazel Martin, Maya White
2018-19: Hazel Martin, Maya White
2017-18: Amanda Floberg, Hazel Martin, Alyssa Morahan, Maya White, Cameron Wood
2016-17: Amanda Floberg, Bethany Galloway
2015-16: Maddi Caldwell, Bethany Galloway, Mariah Hopkins
2014-15: Bethany Galloway, Mariah Hopkins, Olivia Landino
2013-14: Taylor Allison, Bethany Galloway, Mariah Hopkins, Olivia Landino, Ashley Thompson
2012-13: Taylor Allison, Maria Kjelldorff
2011-12: Christina Amoriello, Katie Kile, Maria Kjelldorff, Blaire Minter, Rachel Nelson
2010-11: Malin Jansson, Blaire Minter, Rachel Nelson
2009-10: Malin Jansson, Blaire Minter, Rachel Nelson
2008-09: Elin Mickelsson, Rachel Nelson
2007-08: Katja Dammann, Elin Mickelsson
2006-07: Bianca Melone, Malin Fryk, Elin Mickelsson
2005-06: Brandy Andersen, Erika Danford, Malin Fryk, Bianca Melone
2004-05: Brandy Andersen, Bianca Melone
2003-04: Brandy Andersen, Erika Danford, Ashley Hovda, Bianca Melone
2002-03: Line Cordes, Ashley Hovda, Johanna Lundberg, Brandy Andersen
2001-02: Brooke Stillman2000-01: Shelley Glenister
WCU's Five-Time Recipients: Victoria Ladd – (2019-20; 2020-21; 2021-22; 2022-23; 2023-24)
WCU's Four-Time Recipients: Hazel Martin – (2017-18; 2018-19; 2019-20; 2020-21)
Maya White – (2017-18; 2018-19; 2019-20; 2020-21)
Bethany Galloway – (2013-14; 2014-15; 2015-16; 2016-17)
Rachel Nelson – (2008-09; 2009-10; 2010-11; 2011-12)
Bianca Melone – (2003-04; 2004-05; 2005-06; 2006-07)
Brandy Andersen – (2002-03; 2003-04; 2004-05; 2005-06)
WCU's Three-Time Recipients:
Kayleigh Baker – (2021-22; 2022-23; 2023-24)
Mariah Hopkins – (2013-14; 2014-15; 2015-2016)
Blaire Minter – (2009-10; 2010-11; 2011-12)
Elin Mickelsson – (2006-07; 2007-08; 2008-09)
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