Three Catamounts Named WGCA All-American Scholars

Cullowhee, NC Western Carolina Women’s golf today had three student-athletes named to Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-American Scholars as the organization announced its 2021-22 honorees. Rising senior Victoria Ladda redshirt sophomore Kayleigh Bakerand sophomore Kaitlyn Wingnean were each named All-American Scholars.

Ladd earned the third Honor of her career, joining a list of 10 Catamounts to have received the All-American Scholar nod three or more times in a career. Baker and Wingnean collected their first honors. A complete listing of WCU’s all-time honorees is included below.

Ladd competed in nine of the team’s 10 events last season, finishing third on the team with a scoring average of 76.43, ranked 20th in the SoCon. She recorded three, Top 15 individual finishes on the year with 17 of her 21 seasonal rounds carded in the 70s including matching her career-low round of 71 at the Buccaneer Classic last fall. Over her first three seasons, the Greensboro, NC, product has a career stroke average of 76.92, 10th in the program record books.

Selected to the Chancellor’s List last fall, Ladd is double majoring in Marketing and Sport Management and boasts a cumulative grade point average of 3.77

Baker and Wingnean both completed their first collegiate seasons in 2021-22. Coming off a redshirt year in 2020-21, Baker competed in all 10 of WCU’s events last season, once as an individual. A combined 12 of her 24 rounds were carded in the 70s and the St. Augustine, Fla., native capped the season with a career-best 21st-place finish at the 2022 SoCon Women’s Golf Championship. As a true freshman, Wingnean finished fourth on the WCU Squad in stroke average (78.06) and finished 4-2 in match-play over the two tournaments. For Wingnean, a combined 12 of her 18 seasonal rounds in the 70s-or-better including a career-low round of 68 posted in the first round of the Mimosa Hills Intercollegiate in the spring, recording her career-best finish in a tie for 16th

Baker, who was named to the Dean’s List in the fall, has not yet declared a major and carries a 3.74 GPA, while Wingnean is majoring in Integrated Health Sciences and has a 3.50 cumulative GPA.

WCU has put multiple selections on the WGCA All-American Scholars list in 20 of the 22 years since 2000, Landing three or more Golfers on the Squad 14 times including this year’s trio. WCU has thrice landed a program-best five on the list (2017-18; 2013-14; and 2011-12).

This year marks the 22nd consecutive year that Western Carolina has placed Women’s Golfers among the list of annual WGCA honorees and the 20th-straight year that WCU has had multiple selections within the same academic year. WCU’s three selections were among 21 from the Southern Conference with UNCG and Wofford both placing a league-best five on the team. Mercer had four honorees, followed by WCU with three, while Chattanooga and Furman both had two.

Collectively, 1,485 Women’s Collegiate Golfers were recognized with this prestigious honor. The criteria for selection to the All-American Scholar Team are some of the most stringent in all of college athletics. The minimum cumulative GPA is 3.50.

About the Women’s Golf Coaches Association

The Women’s Golf Coaches Association, founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization representing Women’s Collegiate golf coaches. The WGCA was formed to encourage the playing of college golf for women in correlation with a general objective of education and in accordance with the highest tradition of intercollegiate competition. Today, the WGCA represents over 650 coaches throughout the US and is dedicated to educating, promoting, and recognizing both its members and the student-athletes they represent.

Keep track of everything related to Catamount Women’s golf and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@wcu_catamounts), and Twitter (@catamounts, @CatamountWGolf).

Western Carolina’s All-Time WGCA All-American Scholars:
2021-22: Kayleigh Baker, Victoria Ladd, Kaitlyn Wingnean
2020-21: Victoria LaddHazel Martin, Maya White, Cameron Wood
2019-20: Victoria LaddHazel Martin, Maya White
2018-19: Hazel Martin, Maya White
2017-18: Amanda Floberg, Hazel Martin, Alyssa Morahan, Maya White, Cameron Wood
2016-17:Amanda Floberg, Bethany Galloway
2015-16:Maddi Caldwell, Bethany Galloway, Mariah Hopkins
2014-15:Bethany Galloway, Mariah Hopkins, Olivia Landino
2013-14:Taylor Allison, Bethany Galloway, Mariah Hopkins, Olivia Landino, Ashley Thompson
2012-13:Taylor Allison, Maria Kjelldorff
2011-12:Christina Amoriello, Katie Kile, Maria Kjelldorff, Blaire Minter, Rachel Nelson
2010-11:Malin Jansson, Blaire Minter, Rachel Nelson
2009-10:Malin Jansson, Blaire Minter, Rachel Nelson
2008-09:Elin Mickelsson, Rachel Nelson
2007-08:Katja Dammann, Elin Mickelsson
2006-07:Bianca Melone, Malin Fryk, Elin Mickelsson
2005-06:Brandy Andersen, Erika Danford, Malin Fryk, Bianca Melone
2004-05:Brandy Andersen, Bianca Melone
2003-04:Brandy Andersen, Erika Danford, Ashley Hovda, Bianca Melone
2002-03:Line Cordes, Ashley Hovda, Johanna Lundberg, Brandy Andersen
2001-02:Brooke Stillman
2000-01:Shelley Glenister

Four-Time Recipients:

Hazel Martin (2017-18; 2018-19; 2019-20; 2020-21)
Maya White (2017-18; 2018-19; 2019-20; 2020-21)
Bethany Galloway (2013-14; 2014-15; 2015-16; 2016-17)
Rachel Nelson (2008-09; 2009-10; 2010-11; 2011-12)
Bianca Melone (2003-04; 2004-05; 2005-06; 2006-07)
Brandy Andersen (2002-03; 2003-04; 2004-05; 2005-06)

Three-Time Recipients:
Victoria Ladd (2019-20; 2020-21; 2021-22)(active)
Mariah Hopkins (2013-14; 2014-15; 2015-2016)
Blaire Minter (2009-10; 2010-11; 2011-12)
Elin Mickelsson (2006-07; 2007-08; 2008-09)