Texas A&M-Corpus Christi golfer Ashley Watkins has been named the Southland Conference Women’s Golf Newcomer of the Year the league office announced on Thursday. Watkins also earned second-team All-Southland honors, while teammate Ashley Olynick was chosen honorable mention

Watkins was the Islanders top finisher when she placed ninth at last week’s Southland Conference Championship in Beaumont with a score of 228. She finished the first day of the tournament in second place with 1-over par 72. She then had rounds of 81 and 75. The sophomore transfer from TCU had one top-10 finish over the course of the regular season with a ninth-place finish at the Susie Maxwell Berning Classic hosted by Oklahoma. She had a 77.72 average over 15 rounds this spring.

Olynick, a junior, was named honorable mention after averaging 76.64 strokes per 18 holes during the course of the regular season. She had two second-place finishes during the course of the year at the ORU Shootout and the Gainesville Shootout. Olynick was 20th at the conference tournament with a three-round score of 235.

Nicole Forshner of Central Arkansas was named the league’s Player of the Year after placing second at the conference tournament and was in the top 10 at six events during the regular season. She had a 75.96 stroke average. Texas State’s Linn Gustafsson was named the Freshman of the Year after winning the conference tournament. She had seven finishes in the top 10 and won the Nebraska tournament. She had the best stroke average in the league at 74.50.

Mark Akers of Texas State was the Coach of the Year.

Southland Conference Women’s Golf All-Conference

First Team

Nicole Forshner, Central Arkansas – Player of the Year

Linn Gustafsson, Texas State – Freshman of the Year

Terese Nilsson, Lamar

Hiliary Zeigler, Lamar

Jennifer Heinz, Sam Houston State

Second Team

Linda Persson, Lamar

Maggie Welch, McNeese State

Rebecca Sorensen, Central Arkansas

Ashley Watkins, A&M-Corpus Christi – Newcomer of the Year

Caitlin Bliss, Texas State

Player of the Year – Nicole Forshner, Central Arkanasas

Freshman of the Year – Linn Gustafsson, Texas State

Newcomer of the Year – Ashley Watkins, A&M-Corpus Christi

Coach of the Year – Mike Akers, Texas State

Honorable Mention

Channing Norton, Lamar

Lacy McKinley, McNeese State

Theunette Van der Walt, Nicholls State

Landa Stewart, SHSU

Ani Carrillo, SHSU

Wendy Joyner, SHSU

Laura Baker, UTSA

Shelly Martinez, UTSA

Ashley Olynick, A&M-Corpus Christi

Sehee Kim, Texas State