It’s never too early to start thinking about postseason honors, especially with the 2021-22 college golf season upon us.
Leading Golfweek’s Preseason Women’s First Team All-American list is Rachel Heck, who closed her freshman campaign at Stanford last season with the postseason sweep – titles at the Pac-12 Championship, NCAA Stanford Regional and NCAA Women’s Championship. Those three victories were part of six individual titles Heck racked up as a freshman. If there’s a more anticipated player entering this college season, it might only be her incoming Cardinal teammate Rose Zhang – the No. 1-ranked player in the world. Zhang debuts at No. 2 in Golfweek’s preseason rankings.
Check out the rest of the preseason first team, as well as the second and third teams.
Rachel Heck, sophomore, Stanford
Stanford University golfer Rachel Heck celebrates after being crowned individual medalist during the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club. (Photo: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)
Bubbly personality, serious game. Heck’s summer success gives college golf fans every reason to believe she’ll pick up right where she left off in May when Stanford returns to competition.
Rose Zhang, freshman, Stanford
Rose Zhang hits her tee shot on the 15th hole during the final match at the 2021 U.S. Girls’ Junior at Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase, Md. on Saturday, July 17, 2021. (Kathryn Riley/USGA)
What will Rose Zhang do next? College golf. She’s won at every level, so success here seems a natural progression.
Ingrid Lindblad, junior, LSU
LSU freshman Ingrid Lindblad and coach Garrett Runion as the LSU women’s golf team competes at the 2019 Magnolia Invitational. (Kelly Donoho)
Has proven herself to be one of college golf’s hardest workers and most consistent players. Case in point? Nine top-10 finishes in 10 starts as a sophomore.
Beatrice Wallin, senior, Florida State
Florida State Seminoles golfer Beatrice Wallin (right) walks with her coach Amy Bond on at the tenth fairway during the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club. (Photo: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)
Talented Swede with big game, starts her junior senior season after top-5 finishes in an LET event (the Skafto Open) and the European Ladies’ Amateur Championship.
Gina Kim, senior, Duke
Duke’s Gina Kim participates in the second round of the 2019 NCAA Women’s National Golf Championship at the Blessings Golf Club on Saturday, May 18, 2019 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (Tim Cowie/ Duke Athletics)
Kim has been a force for the Blue Devils since her freshman year, and now one last shot at a repeat NCAA title drives the North & South Amateur champ forward.
Emma Spitz, junior, UCLA
Emma Spitz, UCLA (UCLA Athletics)
The latest in a long line of fierce Bruins, Spitz comes off a sophomore year in which she won an NCAA regional title and had five other top-5 finishes, including a runner-up at the NCAA Women’s Championship.
Vivian Hou, junior, Arizona
Yu-Chiang Hou reacts after her putt on the 12th green during the final match at the 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Westchester Country Club in Rye, N.Y. on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. (Darren Carroll/USGA)
Despite a torn labrum in her left hip, Hou battled to a runner-up finish at the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Arizona needs Hou in the lineup to be at their best.
Karen Fredgaard, junior, Houston
Karen Fredgaard hits her tee shot hat the third hole during the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Photo: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports)
Fredgaard is the complete package, and perhaps the best top-to-bottom player in the history of Houston’s program.
Lauren Walsh, junior, Wake Forest
Lauren Walsh of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons follows through on her tee shot during second round action at the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invite at the UNC Finley Golf Course on October 12, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Brian Westerholt/Sports On Film)
The Irishwoman had a big end to the summer, making the cut at the AIG Women’s British Open and playing the Curtis Cup, and expect that to roll into the fall season.
Julia Johnson, senior, Ole Miss
Ole Miss golfer Julia Johnson tees off on the third hole during the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship Final at Grayhawk Golf Club. (Photo: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)
In a word, consistent — to the tune of eight top-10 finishes in 10 starts as a junior.
SECOND TEAM
Jensen Castle poses with the Robert Cox Trophy after defeating Yu-Chiang Hou 2 and 1 in the final match at the 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Westchester Country Club in Rye, N.Y. on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. (Darren Carroll/USGA)
Rachel Kuehn, junior, Wake Forest
Jensen Castle, junior, Kentucky
Brooke Matthews, senior, Arkansas
Cindy Kou, freshman, USC
Latanna Stone, junior, LSU
Annabell Fuller, junior, Florida
Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, sophomore, Oklahoma State
Hannah Darling, freshman, South Carolina
Angelina Ye, junior, Stanford
Amanda Sambach, freshman, Virginia
THIRD TEAM
Isabella Fierro, Oklahoma State
Emily Mahar, senior, Virginia Tech
Megan Schofill, junior, Auburn
Yu-Sang Hou, senior, Arizona
Isabella Fierro, junior, Oklahoma State
Caley McGinty, junior, Oklahoma State
Charlotte Heath, sophomore, Florida State
Erica Shepherd, junior, Duke
Gurleen Kaur, senior, Baylor
Anna Morgan, junior, Furman
Virunpat Olankitkunchai, grad student, Wake Forest
