Wang Named Division III National Women’s Golf Freshman of the Year with Rodgers Garnering National Coach of the Year Honors
(NICHOLASVILLE, Ky.) – Freshman Samantha Wang of the Carnegie Mellon University women's golf team along with Dan Rodgers, head coach of the Tartans, have been recognized nationally by the Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA). On Monday evening, Wang was named the Division III WGCA Freshman of the Year Presented by StrackaLine and Rodgers was named the Division III Jackie Steinmann WGCA National Coach of the Year Presented by Golf Pride.
The Tartans, currently the top ranked team in Division III, will be making their fourth straight and fifth appearance in program history to the 2024 NCAA Division III Women's Golf Championships. The Cardinal and Gray also have won six events this season, tying the school record for most tournament victories in a season with the 2014-15 team.
Wang enters the national championship competing in 14.5 rounds for the Tartans this season with a scoring average of 74.1. She recorded a season-low round of four-under par 68 at the Montgomery Country Club Women's Intercollegiate where she earned individual medalist honors in her first collegiate event. Wang also set the school record for lowest individual 36-hole total in the program's history at the event carding a six-under par 138. She also claimed individual medalist at the Savannah Invitational.
Last week, Rodgers along with assistant coach Jason Li were named University Athletic Association (UAA) Coaching Staff of the Year while Wang was named UAA Rookie of the Year.
This is the second honor for Rodgers with the women's program as he also garnered the accolade in 2020. The Freshman of the Year award is the first in program history.