Reau, Women’s Golf Highlighted in Sun Belt Awards

NEW ORLEANS – Freshman Louise Reau racked up the Sun Belt Conference postseason awards and three other Eagles were named All-Sun Belt as announced by the league Thursday afternoon. Awards were voted on by the league's head coaches and all-conference accolades were determined by Clippd rankings.

Reau was named the league's Golfer of the Year, Freshman of the Year, and first-team all-conference, while Haley Yerxa earned first-team all-conference, and Regina Plascencia and Abby Newton were named to the second-team.

This season, Reau set a program record with a season scoring average of 71.00 and was the first individual in program history to compete at an NCAA Regional. At the Bermuda Run Regional, she shot 71-72-68=211 (-5) to finish tied for 10th. The Beziers, France native, was the only Eagle to compete in the lineup in all 10 tournaments this season and helped the Eagles to a team win at The Southern and five top-5 finishes. She won two individual titles at the Edisto Island Invitational and The Southern while also posting three top-5 finishes, five top-10 finishes, and nine top-20 finishes. Reau recorded a program record of 16 rounds of par or better including eight in the 60s and finished eight tournaments at even/under par. She tied a school record in her win at the Edisto Island Invitational with the lowest 54-hole total shooting 68-70-67=205(-5). Lasty, Reau was named twice as the Sun Belt Golfer of the Week. The awards mark the first individual in program history to win both awards in the same season.

Yerxa competed in all 10 tournaments for the Eagles including one as an individual posting a 73.03 season scoring average for second-best in program history. The fifth-year senior posted five top-10 finishes on the season with her best finish at the Edisto Island Invitational where she shot 72-69-72=213 and tied for sixth. Yerxa recorded 13 rounds of par or better including one in the 60s and was second on the team in birdies totaling 86. Yerxa earns her second all-conference accolade after being named to the second-team last season.

Plascencia made nine starts in the Eagle lineup this season posting a 73.96 season scoring average. The Queretaro, Mexico native, recorded her best finish at the Spartan Suncoast Invitational shooting 71-71=142 (-2) to finish tied for fourth. Her lowest round of the season came in the third round of the Sun Belt Championship shooting a 70 to help the Eagles move on to match play. Plascencia posted five rounds of par or better and finished two tournaments at even/under par.

Newton competed in nine tournaments for the Eagles finishing with a season scoring average of 74.33. The senior's best finish came at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament tying for seventh after shooting 72-75-72=219, (+3) to help the Eagles advance to match play. Newton posted six rounds of par or better and finished one tournament, Valspar Augusta Invitational, under par. Newton earned her third straight all-conference honors after being named to the first-team the last two seasons.

2024 Sun Belt Conference Women's Golf Awards
Golfer of the Year: Louise Reau, Georgia Southern
Freshman of the Year: Louise Reau, Georgia Southern
Newcomer of the Year: Hailey Jones, Texas State
Coach of the Year: Par Nilsson, Texas State

All-Sun Belt Conference First Team
Louise Reau, Georgia Southern
Hailey Jones, Texas State
Kendall Turner, James Madison
Haley Yerxa, Georgia Southern
Hannah Karg, Coastal Carolina
Junia Gabasa, Texas State

All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team
Daniela Campillo, ULM
Puneet Bajwa, Old Dominion
Regina Plascencia, Georgia Southern
Yvonne Chamness, Texas State
Abby Newton, Georgia Southern
Momoka Ando, Southern Miss

Schedule

Players Mentioned

Abby Newton

Regina Plascencia

Louise Reau

Haley Yerxa

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