IRVING, Texas – Tulane and SMU secured the top two player honors for the season, while the Mustangs also took home Coach of the Year as part of the 2023 American Athletic Conference women’s golf awards that were announced on Wednesday. The American Player of the Year, American Freshman of the Year and American Coach of the Year awards were voted on by the conference’s 10 women’s golf head coaches.
 
Carla Bernat became the first Tulane player to be named American Player of the Year, while Michelle Zhang became the first Mustang to be named American Freshman of the Year. SMU head coach Lauren Mason captured the first American Coach of the Year trophy in women’s golf for the Mustangs.
 
A total of 12 players from six member institutions brought home all-conference accolades. All-conference recognition is awarded to the top 10 players from The American in the Golfstat national individual player rankings and to any other players who finished among the top seven and ties at the 2023 American Women’s Golf Championship not among that ranked group. UCF and SMU led the way with four honorees, while Houston, South Florida, Tulane and Tulsa each had one.
 
Bernat, the number 15 ranked player in NCAA Division I women’s golf according to Golfstat, has posted a 70.65 average score across 11 tournaments thus far this season in advance of the NCAA Regionals. Bernat was the conference player of the month for October 2022 and captured player of the week honors in The American on March 21. Bernat took home a pair of first-place medals in the month of October, shooting a combined 11-under par in three tournaments. At the Florida State Match-Up on March 17-19, Bernat shot a 214 (-2) and was one of just four golfers to finish under par as she bested four other Golf Stat Top 100 ranked players.
 
Zhang earns American Freshman of the Year honors on the heels of winning the 2023 American Individual Championship at Southern Hills Plantation Club in Brooksville, Fla. Zhang set a conference championship record, shooting 15-under 201 (66-68-67) over the 54-holes at the championship. She checked in ranked 89^th in the Golfstat national rankings and has posted a scoring average of 71.45 this season. Zhang earned conference player of the week honors on March 14 following her first-place finish at the Briar’s Creek Invitational where she shot 6-under 210, defeating three Golfstat Top 100 ranked opponents along the way.
 
In just her second season at the helm of the program, Mason guided SMU to its first league championship in women’s golf as a member of The American, and first team conference championship for the program since 1992. The Mustangs paced the field at the 2023 American Athletic Conference Women’s Golf Championship, winning by a commanding 14 strokes after shooting a conference tournament record 25-under 839 (276-289-274). All four scoring players finished in the top 10 of at the American tournament, led by Zhang who won the individual medal.  Mason led SMU to five top-10 tournament results this season, including the American tournament title. The Mustangs enter the 2023 NCAA Regionals ranked 27^th by Golfstat.
 
2023 American Athletic Conference Women’s Golf Awards
 
Player of the Year
Carla Bernat, So., Tulane
 
Freshman of the Year
Michelle Zhang, SMU
 
Coach of the Year
Lauren Mason, SMU
 
All-Conference Team
Jess Baker, Jr., UCF
Anna Nordfors, Sr., UCF
Tunrada Piddon, Sr., UCF
Pimpisa Sisutham, Fr., UCF
Moa Svedenskiold, Fr., Houston
Melanie Green, Jr., South Florida
Mackenzie Lee, Fr., SMU
Lauren Miller, Sr., SMU
Ellie Szeryk, Jr., SMU
Michelle Zhang, Fr., SMU
Carla Bernat, So., Tulane
Lilly Thomas, Jr., Tulsa