Oklahoma State University Athletics
Caroline Hedwall Named Player of the Year
May 22, 2010 | Cowgirl Golf
May 22, 2010
STILLWATER, Okla. - Fresh off her individual title at the NCAA Championship on Friday, Oklahoma State's Caroline Hedwall was named the PING/NGCA Division I Player of the Year by the National Golf Coaches Association.
At the Country Club of Landfall, Hedwall posted a 276 total to finish four shots clear of the field and become the first player in program history to win medalist honors at the national championship. In the process, the sophomore tied the NCAA scoring record with her 12-under score, matching the mark set by Penny Hammel of Miami (Fla.) in 1983.
Hedwall, who has been named the Big 12 Player of the Year during each of her two seasons in Stillwater, is now the first Cowgirl to garner national player of the year honors.
With her victory this past week, Hedwall won four of her eight starts during the spring season and did not finish outside the top four during that stretch. The Loddekopinge, Sweden native opened the spring with wins at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic and the Arizona Wildcat Invitational. She earned her third victory at the Big 12 Championship. Overall, she finished the year with five victories after winning the Golfweek Conference Challenge in the fall.
Additionally, Hedwall was named the winner of the Golfstat Cup, which is given annually to the player who has the best scoring average versus par with at least 20 full rounds played during a season. She finished the year with a 71.14 stroke average to shatter the school's single-season scoring mark she set last year. Hedwall finished under par in seven of her 12 starts this year and was 25-under par overall on the season.
On Friday evening, Hedwall was also named one of four finalists for the Honda Sports Award for women's golf. The award is given annually to the top woman collegiate athlete in that sport. After a nationwide balloting, the winner among Hedwall, Auburn's Cydney Clanton, Arizona State's Jennifer Johnson and Southern California's Jennifer Song will become a candidate for The Honda-Broderick Cup awarded annually to the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year.
Hedwall was named a first-team All-America pick for the second-straight season and was joined on the squad by freshman Victoria Park, who was named an honorable mention selection.
Park made 11 starts during her first season as a Cowgirl, finishing in the top 10 on five occasions. The Irvine, Calif., native's best showing came at the Big 12 Championship, where she placed third. She also finished in the top five at the NCAA Central Regional, tying for fourth place.
