GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Wake Forest senior Rachel Kuehn was named the 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Golfer of the Year, while Florida State’s Lottie Woad was voted Freshman of the Year by the league’s head coaches and announced Monday. In addition, Clemson Head Coach Kelley Hester was named ACC Coach of the Year.
The All-ACC team and yearly award winners are selected by a vote of the league’s 12 head coaches. Virginia’s Amanda Sambach, the ACC individual medalist, is automatically a member of the team.
Kuehn becomes the second Wake Forest women’s golfer and sixth-ever to win back-to-back ACC Player of the Year honors. In the latest GolfStat Individual Rankings, the Asheville, North Carolina, native ranks third nationally, as she carries a 70.2 adjusted scoring average on the year. Kuehn captured two medalist honors this season, beginning with the Jackson T. Stephens Cup in October and the Valspar Augusta Invitational in March. The senior finished third in the stroke play portion of the 2023 ACC Women’s Golf Championship at 8-under, as she led the Demon Deacons to the No. 1 seed in match play.
Woad is the second Seminole to earn ACC Freshman of the Year honors and first since Frida Kinhult in 2019. Woad is currently ranked No. 16 nationally in the latest GolfStat rankings, as she holds a 71.11 adjusted scoring average this season. The Farnham, England, native took home medalist honors in a pair of tournaments this season, beginning with the Ivy Invitational in October and the Florida State Match Up in March.
Hester led Clemson to its first-ever ACC Women’s Golf title, after posting a pair of match play wins over No. 2 seed Duke and No. 4 seed Virginia. Hester saw two Tigers in the top 15 of the ACC in scoring, as senior Savannah Grewal is slotted eighth (71.96), while junior Annabelle Pancake ranks 11th (72.29). Pancake’s season was highlighted by tying for medalist honors at the Clemson Invitational in late March.
Seven teams and five individuals qualified for the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Regionals, which take place May 8-10 at six regional sites. The top five teams and the low individual not on an advancing team will advance to participate in the national championships played May 19-24 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.
2023 ACC Women’s Golf Player of the Year
Rachel Kuehn, Wake Forest
2023 ACC Women’s Golf Freshman of the Year
Lottie Woad, Florida State
2023 ACC Women’s Golf Coach of the Year
Kelley Hester, Clemson
2023 All-ACC Women’s Golf Team
Amanda Sambach, Virginia (ACC Individual Medalist)
Rachel Kuehn, Wake Forest
Charlotte Heath, Florida State
Lauren Walsh, Wake Forest
Lottie Woad, Florida State
Carolina Lopez-Chacarra, Wake Forest
Emilia Migliaccio, Wake Forest
Phoebe Brinker, Duke
Savannah Grewal, Clemson
Annabelle Pancake, Clemson
Erica Shepherd, Duke
Kayla Smith, North Carolina
Jennifer Cleary, Virginia
Amelia Williamson, Florida State
Mimi Rhodes, Wake Forest