Smith leads five Hilltoppers on All-Heartland Team
DALLAS, Texas - St. Edward's freshman Alex Smith was named Freshman and Player of the Year by Heartland Conference coaches Monday afternoon. Smith was one of five Hilltoppers to gain conference honors.
Smith, along with senior Allison Kinser and sophomore Jacqueline Struck were named to the first team, while senior Kelly Rigsby and junior April Fields were named to the second team.
Smith, a native of Decatur, Texas, finished the regular season with two victories. She won medalist honors at the Tarleton State Coca-Cola Classic and was the individual champion at the Heartland Conference Championship. She tallied seven top-10 finishes and had a low round of 70 at the Broncho Masters Tournament.
Kinser, a San Antonio, Texas native, registered four top-10 finishes and a season-best finish at the Heartland Conference Championship where she finished tied for fifth.
Struck, a native of Cota de Caza, Calif., was named first-team all-Heartland Conference for the second-straight season. She was third on the team with an 81.68 stroke average and had season best tie for fourth place at the Northeastern State Classic.
Rigsby, a Ruidoso, N.M. native, appeared in 10 events for the Hilltoppers, finishing in the top-10 twice. Her ninth place finish at the conference championship was her best on the season.
Fields, a native of Austin, Texas, appeared in seven tournaments for St. Edward's and a season-best eight-place finish at the Heartland Conference Tournament.
Also gaining accolades was head coach Jennifer McNeil. She was named Heartland Conference Coach of the Year. She guided the Hilltoppers to their second-consecutive Heartland Championship. She also led the team to one victory, one tie for first and two second-place finishes. St. Edward's finished in the top-5 in eight of its 11 tournaments.
The Hilltoppers will be back in action May 5-7 when they take part in the NCAA West Regional. The three-day tournament will take place at the Legacy Golf Resort in Phoenix, Ariz. The tournament will consist of 54 holes.