May 4, 2012
Notre Dame, Ind. – Notre Dame freshman golfer Ashley Armstrong (Flossmoor, Ill.) has been selected as the BIG EAST freshman golfer of the year in voting done by the conference’s eight coaches. She becomes the second Notre Dame women’s golfer to take BIG EAST freshman of the year honors, joining current Irish senior Becca Huffer (Denver, Colo.) who won the honor in the 2008-09 season.
Huffer joins Armstrong as one of six unanimous selections on the 13-player 20011-12 all-BIG EAST team that also includes Irish sophomore Kristina Nhim (Cypress, Calif.). Huffer becomes just the third golfer in Notre Dame and BIG EAST history to be a four-time selection to the all-BIG EAST team, joining Irish alums Noriko Nakazaki `07 (2004-07) and Annie Brophy `10 (2007-10). Nhim has been selected to the all-BIG EAST team for the second time in her Irish career.
Armstrong capped her outstanding rookie season at the BIG EAST Championship, April 22-24, when she captured her first career tournament win, taking conference medalist honors with a 54-hole total of seven-over par 223 to tie for the championship. She then won the title outright on the third hole of a playoff with Louisville’s Emily Haas, helping Notre Dame to a second-place finish as the Irish finished just one stroke behind South Florida.
Sophomore Kristina Nhim was named all-BIG EAST for the second time in her Notre Dame career.
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In nine tournaments this season, Armstrong owns a 75.58 stroke average that is second best on the team. She and her teammates will continue play this year at the NCAA Central Regional, playing at Ohio State’s Scarlet Course, May 10-12. The top eight teams there will advance to the NCAA Championship that will be held at Vanderbilt’s Legends Course in Franklin, Tenn., May 22-25.
Huffer was selected all-BIG EAST for the fourth time in her career after finishing fifth at the BIG EAST Championship with a 10-over par total of 226. The fifth-place finish was the second best of her career after finishing fourth in the 2010-11 championship. The senior captain leads Notre Dame with a 75.27 average this season and has had four top-10 finishes on the year, including her first individual tournament win in the fall at the Hoosier Fall Invitational at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind. Huffer goes into her fourth NCAA Central Regional with a 75.17 career stroke average that is second all-time at Notre Dame.
Nhim claimed her second all-BIG EAST honor in 2011-12 as she finished in a tie for sixth at the BIG EAST Championship with a 12-over par 228, giving the Irish three golfers in the top six. A year ago, the talented sophomore finished third in her first BIG EAST appearance. For the year, she has a 77.0 average in 26 rounds to rank third among her teammates. Her previous best finish this season was a tie for 15th at the Notre Dame Clover Cup Tournament held in Mesa, Ariz., in March. In two seasons with the Irish, Nhim has a 76.59 career average that ranks her sixth on Notre Dame’s all-time scoring list.
Joining Armstrong as the other BIG EAST major award winners were South Florida sophomore Christina Miller who was named the BIG EAST Player of the Year and USF coach Marci Kornegay who was selected the BIG EAST coach of the year as the Bulls won their first conference championship.
BIG EAST WOMEN'S GOLF AWARD WINNERS
BIG EAST Player of the Year Christina Miller, So., USF
BIG EAST Freshman of the Year Ashley Armstrong, Fr., Notre Dame
BIG EAST Coach of the Year Marci Kornegay, USF
All-BIG EAST Team Andrea Malek, So., Cincinnati Emily Haas, Fr., Louisville * AnnaKarin Ljungstrom, Sr., Louisville Katie Petrino, Fr., Louisville Ashley Armstrong, Fr., Notre Dame * Becca Huffer, Sr., Notre Dame * Kristina Nhim, So., Notre Dame Kortnie Maxoutopoulis, Fr., Rutgers Harin Lee, So., St. John's * Hannah Basalone, So., Seton Hall Christina Miller, So., USF * Kelli Pry, Sr., USF Shena Yang, Jr., USF *
* unanimous selection