• Complete 2017-18 OVC Women's Golf Award Winners (PDF) | Photo Gallery
MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. - Eastern Kentucky’s
Ragga Kristinsdottir has been named the 2017-18 Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year for women's golf.
In additional voting, Austin Peay’s
Amy McCollum and
Sara Robson were named the winners of the 2017-18 Bobby Nichols OVC Coach of the Year Award. Robson coached the team in the fall before McCollum took over in an interim basis in the spring. Combined the duo coached the Governors to the fourth-best team scoring average in the OVC. The award is named in honor of the late Nichols, the former Tennessee Tech golf coach and OVC Hall of Famer. It marks the first time an Austin Peay coach has earned the honor.
The awards, along with the All-OVC and All-Newcomer squads, were announced Monday evening at a banquet following the first day of play at the 2018 OVC Championship. The OVC Player of the Year award will be announced Wednesday afternoon following the final round of play at the Championship, which is being held at The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at The Shoals.
Kristinsdottir is the second Eastern Kentucky player to be named Freshman of the Year, joining Amanda Lindahl who earned the honor in 2016. The Reykjavik, Iceland native had a trio of top five finishes in nine events this season including taking medalist honors at the Pinehurst Intercollegiate in March. Entering this week, she is ranked 15th in the OVC in stroke average (77.8).
For the sixth year in a row the All-OVC team was comprised of one 10-person squad instead of two five-member teams as done in past seasons. The All-OVC team included two seniors, six juniors, and two sophomores.
The team included five players who were All-OVC selections a year ago in Jacksonville State’s
Valentina Giraldo, Eastern Kentucky’s
Elsa Moberly and the Murray State trio
Lucila Puente Rodriguez,
Linette Holmslykke and
Moa Folke. For Folke, it marks the fourth All-OVC selection of her career. Also selected were Murray State’s
Anna Moore, Eastern Kentucky’s
Hannabeth Owens and
Amanda Lindahl, Jacksonville State’s
Paula Vega and Austin Peay’s
Ashton Goodley.
Kristinsdottir, the Freshman of the Year, headlined the six-person All-Newcomer squad. She was joined by Jacksonville State’s
Valentina Curet and
Ana Perez Altuna, Austin Peay junior transfer
Reagan Greene, Belmont’s
Maribeth Peevy and Eastern Illinois junior transfer
Daphne Chang.
The 2018 OVC Women's Golf Championship continues with 18 holes on Tuesday and the final 18 holes on Wednesday. Live scoring can be accessed through links at OVCSports.com.
2017-18 OVC Women’s Golf Award Winners
OVC Freshman of the Year: Ragga Kristinsdottir, Eastern Kentucky
Bobby Nichols OVC Coach of the Year: Amy McCollum & Sara Robson, Austin Peay
2017-18 All-OVC Women’s Golf Team
Valentina Giraldo, Jacksonville State
Elsa Moberly, Eastern Kentucky
Lucila Puente Rodriguez, Murray State
Moa Folke, Murray State
Linette Holmslykke, Murray State
Anna Moore, Murray State
Hannabeth Owens, Eastern Kentucky
Paula Vega, Jacksonville State
Amanda Lindahl, Eastern Kentucky
Ashton Goodley, Austin Peay
2017-18 OVC All-Newcomer Team
Ragga Kristinsdottir, Eastern Kentucky
Valentina Curet, Jacksonville State
Reagan Greene, Austin Peay
Maribeth Peevy, Belmont
Ana Perez Altuna, Jacksonville State
Daphne Chang, Eastern Illinois