KENNESAW, G.A. – Following a dominating performance to win the 2015 Atlantic Sun Conference Championship last week, the Kennesaw State women’s golf team collected a plethora of honors as the Atlantic Sun Conference announced its postseason all-conference teams on Thursday (April 23, 2015), highlighted by freshman Henriette Nielsen and head coach Rhyll Brinsmead earning A-Sun Conference Women’s Golf Freshman and Coach of the Year, respectively.
Along with the superlative honors, sophomore Dulcie Sverdloff and senior Ines Lescudier were unanimous selections to the All-Atlantic Sun First-Team, with senior Kaew Preamchuen also joining the duo as a First-Team honoree. Sophomore Laura Estefenn was named to the All-Atlantic Sun Second-Team, while Nielsen was also a unanimous selection to the Atlantic Sun All-Freshman Team.
“It’s always a great honor to be recognized by your peers and to have your teams achievements honored,” said Brinsmead. “I am so incredibly proud of all my players that were named A-Sun honorees and to be named Coach of the Year.”
Nielsen becomes the eighth Kennesaw State freshman to be named to the all-freshman team and the second KSU player to receive Freshman of the Year accolades after Sverdloff earned the award a season ago. The Sorø, Denmark native registered the lowest scoring average of all A-Sun freshmen with a 76.11 average in her first collegiate season after playing in 10 tournaments in 2014-15, the most events of any freshman in the league. She posted four top-20 finishes and shot par or better three times during the season, while also earning A-Sun Golfer of the Week on Feb. 18.
“It was Henriette’s goal at the start of the year to be named A-Sun Freshman of the Year and she has worked incredibly hard to earn this honor,” said Brinsmead. “She had to make some major adjustments from the fall to spring season and worked diligently on her entire game. This honor proves that all her hard work was recognized and this is a great honor for her. It is always my goal to recruit the best freshman each year and to have back-to-back Freshman of the Year honors is testament to their talent.”
Brinsmead earns her second A-Sun Coach of the Year honor after leading the Owls to a 30-stroke win at the 2015 A-Sun Conference Championship and earning the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals, as well as four other top-five tournament finishes this season. KSU also received its highest national ranking in program history with a No. 43 ranking in the Golfweek rankings in the first week of October.
Lescudier has paced the Owls during the season with a team-low 73.55 stroke average, while leading the team with six top-10 finishes and was the top finisher for KSU in seven of their 11 events this season. The two-time 2014-15 A-Sun Player of the Week finished as runner-up at her final A-Sun Championship with an even-par 218 and is currently ranked inside the top-200 nationally. The Marseille, France native currently holds the KSU record with a career stroke average of 75.47, with her senior season scoring average ranking second in program history.
Sverdloff finished the 2014-15 regular season on a high note as she was the top finisher for the Owls in KSU’s final three tournaments, including taking home medalist honors at the A-Sun Championship with a season-low one-under par total of 215. The Southend-on-Sea, Essex native ranked second on the team with a 74.61 scoring average that sits fifth all-time in program history and registered six top-20 finishes. She earned the season’s final A-Sun Player of the Week award and shot par or better on seven times.
Preamchuen ranked third on the team with a 75.06 stroke average and totaled four top-10 finishes on the season, with her best showing coming at the Cardinal Cup where she placed third with a score of 219. She earned A-Sun Player of the Week accolades on Sept. 17 and tallied par or better six times throughout the season.
“This is the first time we have had three players earn A-Sun first team honors,” said Brinsmead. “Ines, Kaew and Dulcie have led the way this year and I am extremely happy for them. As seniors Kaew and Ines have been incredible ambassadors for this program and to be recognized as the best in the conference is a great way to finish their career. Dulcie cemented her place on the first team by winning the conference title. Her work ethic was contagious this year and I am so proud of her.”
Estefenn picks up her first career conference accolade after turning in a season stroke average of 75.39 and tying a career-best with a third place showing at the A-Sun Championship after registering a career-low score of 218. For the season, she recorded three top-20 finishes and posted scores of par or better on six occasions.
“Laura has shown such amazing growth this entire year,” add Brinsmead. “She always found a way to give us a low round when we needed it and I am very happy for her to be recognized as second team all-conference.”
After claiming the A-Sun Championship and earning the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Regional on May 7-9, the Owls turn their attention to the NCAA Selection Show for regional play, airing on the Golf Channel on April 27 at 7 p.m. ET. KSU will be hosting a watch party at Buffalo Wild Wings starting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday.