CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Stanford junior Paula Martín Sampedro has been named the 2026 Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Golfer of the Year, while Duke’s Rianne Malixi was voted ACC Freshman of the Year by the league’s head coaches. In addition, Cardinal head coach Anne Walker was named ACC Coach of the Year.
Martín Sampedro and Malixi headlined a group of 15 golfers who earned All-ACC Team honors.
All-ACC Team selections are determined by a combination of the NCAA-approved individual national rankings and a vote by the conference’s head coaches. Yearly award winners are selected by a vote of the league’s 15 head coaches.
Martín Sampedro became the second Stanford golfer in as many years to win medalist honors at the ACC Women’s Golf Championship, joining current teammate Andrea Revuelta. The Madrid, Spain, native finished outside the top 10 just once throughout the 2025-26 season, recording six top-five finishes. The junior’s 69.57 scoring average is currently the second lowest in program history, trailing only Rose Zhang’s then-NCAA record of 68.80 in 2023.
Malixi is the top-ranked freshman nationally in the latest Scoreboard individual rankings. This spring, the Manila, Philippines, native has carded a 68.67 scoring average, bringing her season average to 70.71. The freshman enters regionals coming off a runner-up finish during stroke play at the 2026 ACC Women’s Golf Championship for her fourth top-five finish this season. Malixi’s season was highlighted by an individual title at the Sea Best Invitational in late January.
Walker led Stanford to its first-ever ACC title and was most recently named one of the 20 coaches in the country selected to the Division I Jackie Steinmann WGCA National Coach of the Year Presented by Golf Pride Watch List. Heading into regionals, Stanford is 86-3 against the field this year and is the only team in the country with fewer than 10 head-to-head losses. Stanford also claimed six stroke play titles during the 2025-26 season.
A total of 10 ACC teams will compete at the NCAA Regionals beginning Monday, May 11. The top five teams and the low individual not on an advancing team will advance to the NCAA Championships held May 22-27 at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa Golf Course in Carlsbad, California.
2026 ACC Women’s Golfer of the Year
Paula Martín Sampedro, Jr., Stanford
2026 ACC Women’s Golf Freshman of the Year
Rianne Malixi, Duke
2026 ACC Women’s Golf Coach of the Year
Anne Walker, Stanford
2026 Women’s Golf All-ACC Team
Katie Li, Jr., Duke
Rianne Malixi, Fr., Duke
Sophia Fullbrook, So., Florida State
Megan Streicher, Sr., North Carolina
Marie Madsen, So., NC State
Mackenzie Lee, Sr., SMU
Emily Odwin, Sr., SMU
Megha Ganne, Sr., Stanford
Paula Martín Sampedro, Jr., Stanford
Meja Örtengren, So., Stanford
Andrea Revuelta, So., Stanford
Kelly Xu, Sr., Stanford
Jaclyn LaHa, Jr., Virginia
Chloe Kovelesky, So., Wake Forest
Macy Pate, Jr., Wake Forest