⛳️ KU Women’s Golf Hosts Annual Season Celebration
LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas women’s golf team hosted its season celebration Wednesday evening at The Jayhawk Club, celebrating the record-breaking 2023-24 season under third-year head coach Lindsay Kuhle.
“We had such an incredible year and I am so happy to celebrate these ladies and all their accomplishments,” Kuhle told those in attendance which included KU staff who work directly with the Kansas women’s golf program.
Announced on Wednesday, April 24, the Jayhawks were selected to the Cle Elum Regional as the No. 9 seed in the NCAA Regional, which is set for May 6-8. This is the second-consecutive year Kansas has been selected as an at-large team for the Regional, making program history with this being the first time appearing at the tournament in consecutive seasons.
Kansas has five Top 5 finishes in 2023-24, three of those being in the Top 3. In the third tournament of the spring season, Kansas won the Wisconsin Westbrook Invitational with a score of -43 for the program’s first team title since 2017. Also, at the Westbrook Invitational, the Jayhawks broke the 18-hole (-19), 36-hole (-30) and 54-hole (-43) program records. Junior captain Jordan Rothman finished second individually at the event with a score of 203 (-13), setting a new individual 54-hole program record.
At the banquet, Kuhle honored the team’s lone senior and co-captain Hanna Hawks with her family also attending the festivities. Hawks is from Wellington, Kansas and is pursuing pre-dental school upon graduation from KU.
“We’re very proud of Hanna and everything she has done to leave this program better than she found it,” Kuhle said. “Her unwavering commitment to KU and our women’s golf program will make an impact for years to come.”
The Kansas coaches and staff then presented five team awards: The Top-Academic Award, the Strength and Conditioning Award, the Overall Short Game Award, Most Improved and Most Valuable Player.
Junior Johanna Ebner was named the Academic Award recipient presented by Assistant Athletics Director – Director of Academic and Career Counseling Ryan King. Ebner is a sport management major and minoring in business, currently holding a 3.95 cumulative grade point average.
Presented by Sports Performance Coach Ally Ginkens, sophomore Anna Wallin won the Strength and Conditioning Award, which was given to the athlete that excelled in the weight room.
Junior Lily Hirst received the Total Short Game Award presented by Associate Head Coach Stephen Bidne. The award speaks for itself as Hirst excelled in shots around the green in competition and practice. Bidne prefaced the award by recognizing Hirst’s leadership amongst her teammates when practicing around the greens. Hirst has recorded seven rounds in the 60’s this season with six Top-20 finishes, three Top 10 and a Top 5 finish.
Hawks and sophomore Amy DeKock were awarded the Most Improved Players for the season by Coach Kuhle and Coach Bidne. Hawks carries a 73.52 scoring average through eight events this season. In her three years prior to this season, Hawks had only competed in 10 events. Hawks has three Top-20 placements in 2023-24. DeKock holds a 71.83 scoring average and although she has only competed in six rounds this season, DeKock was the top scorer at the 2024 Big 12 Championship after tying for 12th at +3.
Junior co-captain Jordan Rothman was named the Marilynn Smith MVP, presented by Kuhle. Rothman co-leads Kansas in scoring for the year with a 71.83 per round average with six Top 20 finishes, including five Top 10’s, two Top 5’s and an individual title. Rothman’s victory at the Ron Moore Intercollegiate was the first for a Kansas individual in three years, as she shot a 205 (-11) to win the event.
“Jordan is very deserving of the MVP award and both Amy and Hanna of the Most Improved Players,” Kuhle said. “These three ladies and our entire team have worked incredibly hard to reach their goals this season. The leadership and the overall culture of this program is in a great place and largely in part to our captains and leaders, Hanna and Jordan.”
