Big Sky Conference Announces 2021 Women’s Golf All-Conference Teams
FARMINGTON, Utah (April 16, 2021) – The Big Sky Conference office has announced the 2021 Women’s Golf All-Conference Teams, honoring the best players the league has to offer on the course, along with the conference’s yearly individual honors.
After wrapping up her first regular season competing in the Big Sky, Sacramento State’s Jennifer Koga has been named the league’s Player of the Year, along with nabbing the title of Freshman of the Year.
Koga had two of the lowest tournament scores in the Big Sky this season, shooting a 209 at The Gunrock and a 215 at the Fresno State Classic. She is currently the 142
nd ranked golfer in the entire NCAA according to Golfstat, with a 72.97 adjusted score average.
This is the second year in a row a Sacramento State student-athlete has claimed Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors in the same season, as Koga’s teammate and fellow first-team all-conference member Tess Blair was given the same dual honors following the shortened 2019-20 season.
Blair earned her second first-team honor this season after another strong campaign for the Hornets. She was responsible for the lowest individual performance in the league this season, shooting a 10-under 206 at The Gunrock.
Sacramento State has had at least one first-team member every season since 2017.
Making her third consecutive first-team all-conference appearance, Southern Utah’s Chanikan (Pluem) Yongyuan secured her spot after a third strong season for the Thunderbirds. In 2019, Yongyuan was named Freshman of the Year and secured her spot on the Big Sky first-team.
Rounding out the All-Big Sky first-team is Northern Arizona’s Ekaterina Malakhova and Idaho’s Valeria Patino. Both of these golfers best rounds this season were 217’s. Malakhova shot hers at the Dick McGuire Invitational and Patino shot hers at the Grand Canyon Invitational.
For Patino, this is her fourth-career All-Big Sky team nod, after earning second-team placement as a freshman and first-team honors ever since.
Malakhova is a freshman this season from Moscow, Russia.
On the All-Big Sky second-team, Portland State’s Jasmine Cabajar is making her third consecutive appearance after another solid season for the Vikings.
After two years on the All-Big Sky third-team, NAU’s Aleksandra Chekalina moved up this season to receive second-team honors for her performance.
Checking in as the third Hornet on the All-Big Sky lists, Corinne Viden is receiving her fourth-consecutive all-conference honor after making second-team appearances in 2018 and 2020, and nabbing a first-team nod in 2019.
After back-to-back third-team honors, NAU’s Ashley Croft has been named to the league’s second-team with her play this season, and rounding out the All-Big Sky second-team is Weber State’s Kirsten Convoy, who previously had a third-team nod to her name.
Making up the All-Big Sky third-team is Valerie Hernandez (Portland State), Vicky Tsai (Idaho), Eliska Kocourkova (Northern Arizona), Kameryn Basye (Montana State) and Jessica Zelasko (Weber State).
Receiving honorable mention status to this year’s All-Big Sky teams are Kiselya Plewe (Weber State), Sydney Smith (Sacramento State), Marisa Hisaki (Northern Colorado), Abbi Fleiner (Northern Colorado) and Jaelin Ishikawa (Eastern Washington).
The 2021 Big Sky Conference Women’s Golf Championship will begin on Monday, April 19 in Molalla, Oregon as the league hits the course at Arrowhead Golf Club.
2021 Big Sky Women’s Golf All-Conference Teams
Player of the Year: Jennifer Koga, Sacramento State
Freshman of the Year: Jennifer Koga, Sacramento State
First Team
Jennifer Koga, Sacramento State
Chanikan (Pluem) Yongyuan, Southern Utah
Tess Blair, Sacramento State
Ekaterina Malakhova, Northern Arizona
Valeria Patino, Idaho
Second Team
Jasmine Cabajar, Portland State
Aleksandra Chekalina, Northern Arizona
Corinne Viden, Sacramento State
Ashley Croft, Northern Arizona
Kirsten Convoy, Weber State
Third Team
Valerie Hernandez, Portland State
Wei-Chai (Vicky) Tsai, Idaho
Eliska Kocourkova, Northern Arizona
Kameryn Basye, Montana State
Jessica Zelasko, Weber State
Honorable Mention
Kiselya Plewe, Weber State
Sydney Smith, Sacramento State
Marisa Hisaki, Northern Colorado
Abbi Fleiner, Northern Colorado
Jaelin Ishikawa, Eastern Washington